


Essentially Together

by Dzuljeta



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Wolf Rose Tyler, Dimension Travel, F/M, Identity Reveal, Jealousy, Pete's World, Pretending, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, The TARDIS Takes Control, Time Lady Rose, Time Lords and Ladies, Time Travel, Truth or Dare, wrong conclusions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2018-06-05 17:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 44,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6713779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dzuljeta/pseuds/Dzuljeta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected incident brings Martha and Donna back aboard the TARDIS. Before the Doctor starts investigating the cause of this and tries to calm down his frustrated ex-companions, he realises Rose has been brought back as well... This is when things start getting awkward.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Adventure

**Essentially Together**

**Chapter One**

**The Adventure**

That night has happened to be unusually hot. The stale air in Rose's old room at Jackie's felt nearly unbearable, even with the windows in her room wide open.

It was not that much about the heat or the subsequent difficulty to concentrate on anything. Rose believed having chosen to spend time with Mum – at least until the heat subsided - was going to make things easier to bear for both of them, as even her current working place has closed down temporarily because of the unusual weather conditions.

Few people had expected the uncommonly high temperature to have had such a drastic effect on the majority of technical devices. Jackie Tyler's microwave oven happened to be one of these. It took a good half an hour for Rose to calm her mother down.

"I do distinctly remember this very microwave had been upgraded by your precious-"

"Shut up, Mum. It's not the Doctor's fault you have very likely mixed up the settings again. The blue button slows down the warming-up, not-"

Her voice broke, and the younger Tyler closed her eyes, remembering.

She had seen the entire process. Had been watching the Doctor's clever fingers upgrade the device in ways only he knew how to... Discussing the settings Mum would have enjoyed to have installed had been no less interesting. Talking him off the off-worldly things he suggested most of the time. Smirking at each other. Flirting. Laughing.

Jackie could see much more than her daughter would admit. She had touched upon the forbidden subject and was ready to face the consequences. Anything for her girl.

"Do you need to talk, love?" Her mum's tender words have forced the girl to open her eyes. "I could make us a nice evening cuppa-"

Rose tensed. She was not ready for any kind of an emotional talk. The last time she's tried it ended in tears.

"Thanks, Mum. I'd rather go to bed early tonight."

"Sure, my dear. See you in the morning?"

The daughter smiled at Jackie Tyler, but her eyes were sad. She left for her stuffy bedroom with a shrug. A heavy sigh followed as Rose closed the door behind her. Not knowing where the gloomy mood was coming from, she began undressing quietly.

Rose swore under her breath, choosing to forgo wearing anything more than her lacy pinkish knickers to bed, even if it was unlikely having taken this measure would prevent her from waking up covered in sweat. Needless to say daily cold showers, sometimes several in a day, had become a necessity. This whole week was almost intolerable. _Some_ heat and sunshine was fine for everyone, but not when the temperature stayed above forty degrees Celsius both day and night, both inside and outside. In _England_ , of all places! Not in some of the planets she- _they_ had visited…

Rose gulped, inhaling deeply. Thinking about the Doctor still stung. But it just so happened she _could_ _not_ stop thinking about him. Did not want to.

Right now, however, she'd have given anything to be able to fall asleep. _Who the hell falls asleep at eight in the evening?_ She giggled bitterly. This could have been just about time for some party to start… Although who could have thought of celebrating _anything_ in such weather was beyond her. _The Doctor most certainly would._

She turned her eyes upwards in frustration. These thoughts were impossible to avoid. What was _he_ doing? With whom was he sharing his TARDIS now? Where in space… Where in _time_ was he? Was the Doctor happy? Did he remember the one who had promised him _forever?_

The next thing she knew was the familiar, not-at-all-pleasant sensation of- of teleportation? Yes, of course it was. She knew the feeling.

_What?_

Rose's eyes were suddenly wide open, her mind only registering her surroundings half a second later. _Would seem ages for the Doctor._

_What._

"Bloody hell! What on-" She was on board the TARDIS. That much was absolutely certain. The very ship she knew so well.

"Hello, old girl," Rose muttered at the vessel, who has very distinctly emitted an amused sound. _Oh, fuck._ The fair-haired girl remembered the amount – the lack of -of clothes on her body.

 _Bloody hell, indeed._ This was not the time to think of reasons why Rose was there. She needed to put something on, but there were no familiar doors in sight. The blonde was desperate. There was no way she would wander through the ship naked! _Almost._ "Help me, TARDIS? Please?" she almost growled in frustration at the cheeky sound the old girl gave her.

"Whatever have I done to you to deserve such a treatment?"

Silence.

Rose knew she could, probably should go look for her room… But her common sense kept stopping her. What if she met his new companion? Companions, maybe? This was really not the state anyone should see her in for the first time… _Anyone_ included the Doctor, but did she have much of a choice?

Under different circumstances, she'd have been in a blissful shock to have found herself on the TARDIS in the first place, but... The tension was unbearable. She _needed_ for the Doctor to appear as soon as possible. Whichever one he might be. Rose could only hope it was the Doctor she was familiar with.

Not wishing to lose her determination, Rose Marion Tyler chose to take the offensive. If anything, the TARDIS was on her side. _Sort of._

"Doctor! I am going to _kill_ you!"

The TARDIS _was_ on Rose's side. Her words were suddenly echoing everywhere. There was no chance for the Doctor to miss it.

He did _not_ miss it. Tensing, the Doctor got up. "I will be back soon. Chat about something."

Both Martha and Donna eyed each other curiously. "Hadn't the voice threatened to kill you?"

"Oh, no, no! This is the TARDIS. Nobody kills anyone aboard this ship. Never. No matter what they might say. Stay here."

"Right." The two women could only lead the Time Lord out with their eyes. "Not only does he tear me straight out of my medical exam and I find myself in here, but-"

"Calm down, Martha. He is a Time Lord." Donna was watching the girl with concern. Ruining everything was his primary talent, but so was fixing it!

"It's easy for you to talk." The dark-skinned companion glared at the ginger she had only met today with an unmistakable mistrust.

Donna thought this incredibly amusing.

"Oh, it is! Did you know I found myself on the TARDIS on my wedding day?"

"What? Really?"

"Yes. He had _just_ lost his lover, too. We were quite a combination that day. I can't help but wonder where his Rose is now."

"Rose… Of course. It's always her. Can't get away from her, can we?" Martha spoke quietly. "I'd like to meet her, even if I know it's not possible."

Donna shook her head sadly. "Even if it were, he'd only have eyes for her. Trust me on this. I have been in his room once. It's _full_ of photos of them together. They looked so happy."

"He had shown you _photos_ of her?" Martha was suddenly upset.

"Not really. Have eyes, don't I?" Donna Noble winked at her.

"Fine." The younger companion shrugged in resignation.

* * *

The Doctor could not hurry to the console room faster. _Why not Rose?_ He had been asking both the TARDIS and himself, when the two of his female companions appeared on the ship one after the other, both dressed for the deepest winter. When asked, they'd told him this was how the weather was on Earth now…

Dealing with this _could_ wait.

"Rose?! Don't kill me, please, I-" The Doctor saw her then, in her all almost-naked glory. His eyes widened, but he turned away from her, startled. All right… He was intrigued, but this was not the point. His Rose, _naked_ on the TARDIS. _Why? How?_

The Time Lord found his tongue soon enough, his face and neck flushed, as he dared to look back at her. "Oh, heavens. Oh dear! I am so, _so_ sorry! I hope I did not interrupt-"

"You did."

"Er... I could try to bring you back to Pete's World-" No matter how much it would break his hearts, he was ready for this final sacrifice. _No, not really._

"No." _Not in a million years._ Rose still had her arms wrapped around herself. It was both silly, scandalous and really uncomfortable.

"No." He echoed, hopeful.

"Talk later. Give me something to wear! The cheeky old girl wouldn't help. Can 't exactly risk being seen by your companions like this. They would think me your call-girl, or something!" She blushed furiously at the prospect.

"Oh, about that… Rose. I have no phone numbers of such people. Don't use phone much nowadays."

"So?"

"To tell you the truth, Rose Tyler… They most certainly _would_ think you one," he agreed thoughtfully with a maddening smirk.

"This isn't funny! The fact my tits are bigger than your usual- never mind…" She bit her tongue, but it was too late already.

"I _don't_ mind," he assured her, his voice calm.

"Anyway! It doesn't give you the right to-"

That was when they heard the two unexpected voices.

 _Oh, crap!_ If Rose knew one thing… The adventure was only just starting.

"You need to hide somewhere! Quick! See that closet?"

The pink and yellow human stared at him. "Oh, no. There's _no_ way!"

"A call-girl, then," he winked at her, meeting a glare, yet knowing he has won.


	2. Discoveries

**Essentially Together**

**Previously…**

" _You need to hide somewhere! Quick! See that closet?"_

_The pink and yellow human stared at him. "Oh, no. There's no way!"_

" _A call-girl, then," he winked at her, knowing he has won._

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Discoveries**

"You'd like that," she glared at him, but could not back away a smirk.

He smirked back at her, trying his best to keep his eyes on her face. "Maybe I would."

Rose gave him one of her best Tyler glares.

"On the other hand-" He pushed her inside the closet and closed the door, nodding at the two women, a knowing smirk on his lips.

The truth was he intended to return to his pink and yellow human and provide her with suitable clothes as soon as possible, once he was free from his two other rambling companions. But the fact the Time Lord's incessant gob often got the better of him meant quite a different outcome.

* * *

 

Not once did he forget about Rose Tyler waiting for him just several doors away, no. Still, he was trying his best to seem at ease to the two companions…

Some time later, his apparently flawlessly fabricated impression of nonchalance began to slip. Soon, the Tyler girl was _all_ he could think about. Particularly the barely-wearing-anything variation of her.

"What is it, Spaceman?" Donna asked him on the first break in his chatter longer than five seconds.

"What do you mean?" He knew just what the ginger had in mind.

"It's just… Have you eaten something?" Martha spoke uncertainly, equally aware of his apparent discomfort.

"Or _licked_ something?" the ginger eyed him with worry.

The Doctor only shrugged, every passing second now weighing upon him. "Er… I need to check some… important things."

Donna's voice was piercing through him. "No. You rest. I'll go check the important things for you."

"I mean _personal_ things."

"I don't care, Doctor. You don't look like yourself. Have some rest in silence... Say, fifteen minutes! I'm not asking for more of you."

 _This incurable alien!_ The TARDIS could wait. _Martha_ could wait.

With a heavy sigh, he agreed. Saying _no_ to Donna Noble in this was a lost cause. "Fifteen minutes. Not a second more." Surely, his brilliant Rose could wait for fifteen more minutes!

* * *

 

Rose was upset. This was it – he has left her dependent on him again, for he knew she would rather wait for him to return instead of risking meeting anybody else. The Doctor was _so_ going to pay for this. She made a stretch. Unexpectedly, this tiny space was _not_ bigger on the inside. However, some of the thoughts on her wandering mind suggested this was only for the better… The fact all of them included the Doctor… Oh, well. She'd had more than two years of fighting these on the TARDIS alone. It could not hurt to have a dozen more.

She sat on the floor, hoping not to fall asleep until he returned.

Much, much later, after what must have been - or felt like - hours, the closet's door opened. Rose had _not_ fallen asleep. Her renewed annoyance was back at once. How could he have left her mope in this place for this long? Alone?

"For heaven's sake, Doctor! Would it have hurt you to-" Rose was furious. Would she need to remind him-

 _Oh. Oh my God._ She blanched at the sight of an unfamiliar woman  in front of her. Her face coloured deep pink, as she hurried to wrap her arms around herself.

"Ahem." An amused redhead was staring at her, incredulous. "Wow. This is… well… awkward. Hi."

She should have known the never-before-seen piece of overly-basic-looking furniture had something to do with the Doctor's untold secrets. _Personal things_ , he'd said. This, however, was _much_ more.

Rose stared back, an apologetic almost-smile on her face, hands fixed on covering her chest. "Tell me about it."

All of a sudden, the ginger smiled at Rose sadly. "Does _he_ do this often to you? Leaves you in a closet, well, bare? Is this how he understands-"

Donna was scandalised. Strange as the Spaceman might have been, _this_ was beyond everything. This very blonde was the woman he _loved_ , for God's sake!

"Oh, no," Rose shook her head at the woman. A companion, very likely. "This is the first time. Still makes me want to kill him for leaving me here like this."

_This justifies it._

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. The Doctor does have this effect on the best of us. Should I call him?" Donna asked her kindly, conveniently ignoring the young woman's state of close-nakedness. These two lovebirds could do whatever, for all the fiery woman cared… The discomfort in Rose's features diminished visibly.

"Would be lovely if you reminded him I'm waiting here for him, all… unclad. Tell him I still need something to put on. Thank you."

Not knowing the woman's name was only strengthening the blonde's uneasiness, but...

"Where is he, anyway?"

"Chatting with Martha, I guess," Donna shrugged, then noticed her blank look. "Oh, I don't really know her yet either. She's one of his previous companions," she clarified, then understood the word was not fitting in the fair-haired companion's case. "Some time after you, though."

"Yeah?" Rose failed to succeed in feigning her indifference. "You know who I am, then?"

Donna could not back away an eye-roll. "You're still the main thing on his mind, _Rose_. You should have seen the expression on his face after Martha and I appeared on the ship some time before you. Apparently, it was you he was secretly expecting to see in this inexplicable turn of events."

"I'm here now, though," she muttered, a small smile appearing on her face. "I'm sorry – your name is…"

"Donna."

The pink and yellow human nodded in acknowledgement. The fact this Donna did not once address her being dangerously underdressed was strangely relieving. "Sorry you had to meet me like this, I-"

The ginger rolled her eyes. "Having travelled with the Doctor, nothing disturbs me any more," she winked at Rose. "Not that sure about Martha… But then again, she was not expecting to be brought here, not minutes before her exam."

"Ouch. That's time travel for you," Rose grinned.

"If you don't mind me asking - is this a part of some plan? A planned surprise, perhaps?"

Rose grimaced. "I will surprise him all right with a slap he so rightfully deserves, if he doesn't have a reasonable excuse for- for- this. Martha, you said?"

"Yeah. I'll bring him to you right away! Try to keep from snogging him senseless before you have something on!" Donna winked at her and left.

Rose nodded absent-mindedly. Right. Did this mean another person should meet her like this?

Minutes later, she could hear their voices ringing in the console room. "Not amusing, Donna! Try to have some decency!"

This prude of a Time Lord… "It actually _is_ very amusing, Doctor. I'm sure she would agree!"

 _Oh, I'm sure she would._ The Doctor opened the closet hurriedly and eyed Rose apologetically. "Sorry for taking so long!" He tossed her a pink skirt, similar to the one she'd worn for a concert they'd failed to visit.

"Er… Doctor? Something to cover my breasts?" Rose flushed bright red, still not used to addressing these things so bluntly.

The ginger rolled her eyes at him. "You can't have thought of it, can you, _Time Lord_." Donna nearly tore his pinstriped jacket off him unashamedly. "Care to share with your lady?" The more recent companion glared at him, putting the piece of clothing on Rose's shoulders. "Here. Somehow I no longer wonder about you wanting to slap him." The Doctor's eyes grew wide for a brief second, before he hurried to button the jacket on Rose – with his eyes closed tight.

The redhead sighed heavily. Whatever was the reason of her finding herself on board the TARDIS, having to become a relationship counsellor was not a part of her plans.

"Oi, there's no need for violence! If you're becoming like Jackie, I'd much prefer you _kissed_ me," he licked his lips. Rose's eyes widened, as she responded seductively, her words barely audible. "Might do just that."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Slap him already!"

Rose smirked. "Later."

* * *

The dark-skinned companion has only entered the scene after the main things were more or less settled between the two people who kept giggling like adolescents. Even if the looks they shared and the shy touches accompanying them suggested something much more intense.

"Right, you two, shoo! The kindergarten is the other way," Donna giggled. "Martha seems to have missed all the fun already."

Martha cleared her throat, disgusted, her voice just loud enough for Rose and the Doctor to hear. "I did not know he was keeping a prostitute handy," she grimaced. Rose bit her lip, stopping the Doctor from rushing in to stop his companion from making wrong conclusions. Last thing she needed was having the Doctor stutter with explanations. "A call-girl, hadn't you said?" The Tyler girl gave him an unnaturally wide grin.

"Wow. Martha. I did not know you were this quick in making conclusions," Donna glared at her.

"Who is she, if not a prostitute?" Martha was confused. "She's wearing only knickers and _his_ jacket. What am I to think? It's unlike the Doctor to ever-"

"Precisely!"

"The Doctor must have been eager to cover her breasts, so he's given her his jacket. What's there not to see?" Martha was feeling disillusioned. He was just like every other man.

Donna shook her head. "Not every man enjoys sharing." _Even when it comes to glances._

"See? A prostitute. Has he finally got over Rose?"

"What's up with you now, Martha?" the ginger was not certain about how much she could disclose. "It's as if you were his mother," she shrugged.

* * *

Rose took the Doctor's hand assuringly. It seemed he was more affected than she was. "Martha doesn't know what she's talking about. Happens to everyone, right?"

The Doctor pulled her into a hug. "I-"

"I know," she hugged him just as tightly.

* * *

"If spending time with call-girls is what turns him on..."

Donna pulled the other companion aside, her whisper piercing. "Do you even _realise_ what you're saying?"

"Yes, why? Isn't she-"

"Just- stop."

"All right! It's not that I'm going to openly ask him about this new _liking_ of his, or anything."

"You'd better not."

"What does this have to do with you, anyway?" Martha blinked, frustrated.

"I am sorry... This is really a _very_ inappropriate thing to say about anyone," Rose spoke quietly, her hand in the Doctor's.


	3. Confusion

**Essentially Together**

**Previously…**

" _I am sorry… This is really a_ very _inappropriate thing to say about anyone," Rose spoke quietly, her hand in the Doctor's._

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Confusion**

If the dark-skinned companion was momentarily startled by the other woman's words, she did not show it. Martha's look remained fixed on their joined hands. She believed the gesture was only meant for people at least as close to the Doctor as she had been. Or at least exclusively to his travelling companions. But this mysterious young woman – must have been around her age, she guessed – why the Doctor would hold _her_ hand was beyond Martha's comprehension. He could have chosen _anyone_ , and yet…

"It probably is," the flustered companion agreed. "So?" She tried to make something out from the look in the blonde's eyes. However, it was completely unreadable. _Understandable, for a person of her profession_. Merely having to talk to h _er_ was making Martha want to turn away. The Doctor having someone like this blonde on board? Could his personality have changed so drastically since the time she had left?

Not that the Time Lord had ever been _truly_ open with her. Although she might have somewhat got used to it, having eventually taken such behaviour as a part of his nature, the tension in the room has increased to a level higher than ever before. They had not once spoken about things as intimate as this, either…

The Doctor, with his voice soft and almost unnaturally calm, has left Martha startled once again. "You, of all people, should know insulting people behind their backs is-"

"-unacceptable," Rose finished, her voice just as still. However, the Time Lord noticed, with some kind of relief, that the fair-haired young woman did not seem bothered in the slightest, shrugging, her lips pressed tightly together, but with her eyes sparkling. If this meant she had to become someone else for a bit – so be it!

"I did not mean to insult!" Martha stood on the defensive at once. It was very likely the Doctor had been talking and giving too much away, again, with a shadow of a smile appearing on the blonde's face whenever their eyes met.

The Time Lord was not prepared to take a part in the spectacle his dark-skinned companion had unintentionally started. But he was _always_ ready to defend Rose…

"You _have_ and you know it, Martha Jones! Since when does a Time Lord have to remind a human about something as simple as this?" He rolled his eyes at her.

Martha backed away a few steps, feeling unreasonably chastised. Fine, maybe she should have kept this to herself, considering the path in life she was determined to take. She knew doctors, _real_ doctors were never allowed such fallacies.

"I'm... er...sorry?"

The Doctor peered at his mistaken companion intently. "For…"

The almost-doctor glared at him. Was this really necessary? "For insulting a call-girl? I shouldn't have, I get it." Martha was unpleasantly surprised to notice their hands were still connected. No longer wanting to know the reason of this, she brushed this small detail off.

"She is a young woman, just like you. There's no need to hurt her," Donna reminded them she was still in the room.

The blonde laughed lightly, looking at no-one but the Doctor. "Does it look like I am hurt?"

"No," the Time Lord smiled at her softly.

"Good," Rose muttered, her voice falling even quieter. "Have you come up with some story about me yet?"

His eyes widened. "Er…"

"Naturally, you haven't," the girl giggled good-naturedly. "Just play along, then."

The Time Lord nodded, as Rose bit her lower lip and winked at him, letting go of his hand.

Martha seemed to not have noticed the small episode, her mind working on finding various reasons why he would know such women. Even more so – invite this one on board! "Could you tell me her name, at least?"

The Doctor eyed both Rose and Martha searchingly. It went without saying everything depended on Rose now. This promised some kind of bickering – at least the Doctor knew whose side he was on. " _She_ , as you so kindly put it, can answer herself."

The fair-haired companion shook her head. "You think? I'm sorry, Doctor. I can't talk openly to people who judge a person because of the way they earn for living…" Rose shrugged, hiding a smirk.

"Fair enough," his lips formed a smile.

"How am I to address you, then?" Martha eyed Rose in exasperation.

"Oh. 'That woman'? 'The call-girl?' 'The prostitute?' 'The blonde?' 'Almost-but-not-really a companion'? Rose rolled her eyes. "Anything not too offensive works, really. I'm not picky."

The Time Lord could see the way the Tyler girl was struggling to keep a straight face.

" _I_ am," the Doctor glared at Martha. "My choices in life, hers even more so, are none of your business. Or should I blame it on your pre-exam stress?"

Rose stopped the alien, grabbing his hand again. "Leave her alone. We have _better_ things to do, you and I," she said way too loudly for the two other women not to hear.

"Yes?" He eyed her appreciatively, lust colouring his voice. If this was all it took to get some moments with Rose without an audience, the Doctor was prepared to take part in this. "Can't wait to make you-" He intentionally bit the ending off. Donna tried her best to remain on her feet, overtaken with uncontrollable laughter.

"Oh. God," Martha muttered to herself. The changes in the Time Lord appeared to be even worse than she had primarily believed.

" _When this man and I are wed, I'm gonna keep 'im warm in bed_ …" The blonde sing-songed not so quietly, having no difficulties in playing the role Martha had so thoughtlessly ascribed to her.

The Doctor had to bite down his wish to burst out laughing, hurrying to pull Rose out of the console room with him.

* * *

 

"This… _all_ of this was very daring of you," the Gallifreyan noted with sincere admiration as soon as they were no longer facing them.

Rose grinned. "Did I have much of a choice? Martha seemed convinced I was a call-girl. Why ruin her fun so soon?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I don't know what has come over her."

"Pre-exam stress. Pfft… Don't worry. It was very… amusing."

"Yeah? I'm glad you did not jump on me in the console room. That would have been-"

"Embarrassing? Enticing?" She smirked, biting her lip. Had the Doctor been expecting something like this of her? Hoping for it, perhaps?

"Both," he mouthed, regretting it the next second.

Her unuttered question died on her lips with his next. "How are you coping, Rose?"

"Oh, you know…" The girl sighed heavily, her smile slipping. "Nobody has labelled me a prostitute before," Rose avoided his look. "That is-"

"You are not… That's all that matters, love."

The girl did not question his choice of words. They loved each other. It went without saying… Most of the time. The companion pressed her eyes shut, not wanting to recall some of the particularly dark sleepless lonely nights when one touch – hell, one _word_ from him could have fixed _everything_. But he had been so far away… Rose shook the heavy memories off.

"Yeah... Shouldn't you return to them?"

"Not without you. Besides, we're not exactly hiding from them," he hurried to add, the warmth in her heart stopping to spread further with these words.

Before Rose could respond, a familiar ginger approached them nonchalantly. "Don't ask me anything. The TARDIS and I might have made a pact of sorts. Must be quick." Her voice fell, once she saw a mixture of emotions on the blonde's face. "Are you willing to continue playing this charade, Rose?" Donna asked.

The fair-haired human nodded. With the one she loved by her side, she had nothing to lose. "Yes."

"Good. As long as you don't jump on me," the Doctor eyed her cautiously.

"We'll see about that," Rose teased. "Try and behave. By the way – the TARDIS is being cheeky and won't help me when I need her. I was going to ask you-"

"Cheeky? Oooh. How so?" The redhead could not help but wondered.

"She won't show me my room," the Tyler girl explained simply, a wry smile on her face.

"Oh! Oh! But this is marvellous!" Donna nearly squeaked, a wide grin now enlightening her features.

"What is?" the Doctor was confused.

"She approves of this _game_ we - _you_ play! She even gives you two a decent reason to share a bed!"

"Gives _you_ a reason to make fun of this situation, Donna," the Time Lord rolled his eyes.

"I don't mind," Rose gave them both her tongue-between-teeth grin. "You shouldn't, too. It's not that we haven't shared a bed before," she smirked.

The Doctor's breath hitched. Not because of her words, but because of the smile. _The_ smile. "Oh, Rose…"

Donna cleared her throat, uncomfortable. "Should I leave?"

He shrugged.

"I will. Don't worry. But there was one question I wanted to give you two all this time."

"Spill it, Donna." The Doctor felt he was ready for anything now.

"The 'when we are wed' thing has left me wondering-"

That was when Martha Jones came in, saving them from addressing the uncomfortable subject.

Donna exhaled. "Later."

Martha Jones did not waste time. "Hey again. Could you _please_ get me back to London? Right now?"

"Not _right now_ , but soon, Martha."

"Soon? How soon?" She was frustrated and angry. At the circumstances. At the Doctor. At Donna. At the- whoever she was.

"The moment I fix the disturbances in your timeline, you'll be free to go," he spoke coolly.

"I can't wait," Martha grimaced, too far gone in her emotion to stop hurtful words from leaving her mouth. "Since when are you into _this_? Have forgotten your _dearest_ , I take it?"

The fair-haired companion gulped, but pretended to be busy in painting her lips, as a bright red lipstick had materialised in her hand moments ago. _Thank you._ Rose took the hint, using it as a distraction.

"Forgetting Rose is _never_ an option," the Doctor shrugged, turning his eyes away from the blonde and her provokingly inviting vermillion lips. But he was used to fighting these urges. The Time Lord liked to think so, at least.

Judging from the look on Rose's face, she was having similar thoughts.

"Yes? Looking for consolation in someone else's arms is?" Martha could not bear facing the Doctor and met Donna's eyes instead. "Isn't this way too cliché?"

"This, Martha, shows you spend way too much time in front of the telly," Donna rolled her eyes at the girl, before throwing an apologetic glance at Rose. "Will be right back. Good luck."

Martha continued to stare at their once again joined hands, unable to face them.

"I will try to get you straight back to your exam, Martha. As soon as I can." His voice sounded as dry as chalk.

"What about right now?" The dark-skinned companion was growing impatient. The tension was not going anywhere, but neither did her persistence.

The Doctor sighed. "I am _not_ risking it. Not when it means jeopardising two universes, if not more."

"Whatever," Martha rolled her eyes. "Have it your way, but I won't stop asking." She glared at him threateningly for good measure, but he did not seem to notice.

Not when that blonde was with him.

"I should go to bed," Rose muttered before the heavy silence suffocated them. "Haven't slept much lately," she cleared her throat, not once forgetting the persona she was playing.

He smiled at her softly, missing the goggle on Martha's face. "Do you remember where my room- er, bedroom - is?" The alien corrected himself, earning an approving wink from Rose.

"Yes! Do you think we could continue where we left off the last time, eh?" The voluptuous look she gave him made the Doctor's mouth dry. It took him more than a few seconds to remember this was but an act.

"Anything you want," he licked his lips hungrily, yet the way he said these words has almost made Martha Jones lose her breath.

_Anything…_


	4. Games

**Previously…**

" _Anything you want," he licked his lips hungrily, yet the way he said these words has almost made Martha Jones lose her breath._

Anything…

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**Games**

"I'll take anything you _can_ give me," Rose Tyler muttered, aware the Doctor's definition of _anything_ had a lot of exceptions. Some words were never to be uttered, some topics were never to be touched upon … She knew her playing a woman of easy virtue was something neither of them would have even thought about, had the situation not been like this. However, she chose not to push her luck any further. Even if that could have worked as a justifiable reason for her to say and do things somewhat more open in nature.

Having firmly decided to avoid the risk of tarnishing their relationship, the fair-haired human was forced to abandon the safe path at once. By none other than the Doctor, his lips suddenly dangerously close to her ear, as he has but breathed the hasty words to her, as if afraid this were the only opportunity left for him to do so.

"Do you really think there are things I _wouldn't_ give you if you asked?" The Time Lord was watching her intently, unmoving. Merely uttering these words to her – to _Rose_ \- was something the Doctor himself was terrified of doing.

Instead of answering, Rose gave a barely noticeable turn of her head towards Martha. It was obvious the dark-skinned girl was still mutely following their conversation, although it was as quiet as it could get and the girl could not have understood a word.

"So, as I was saying," he cleared his throat, winking at the pink and yellow human. " _Allons-y_?"

Rose gave him a wide smile, albeit it did not reach her eyes. "Yes." She was unnaturally tense. Nothing felt real any more. Not with the playful smirk on the Doctor's lips. Not when her blood-red lips were where his eyes were fixed on more often than not. As if he-

The Doctor's room happened to be much further away than they had expected. Just far enough for the tension to die down somewhere in the middle of the way. It only took a smile from the Time Lord for Rose to shake her unease away.

Apparently, that was enough for the Doctor as well. He stopped. Not wanting to let go of the alien, so did Rose.

"Rose?" he spoke quietly.

"Yes?"

"Rose…"

"I'm here," she tapped his shoulder good-naturedly. "In the middle of a never-ending corridor I don't remember seeing."

"That's because it has never been here before," the Doctor smiled. The TARDIS and her antics… It was clear to him this was only because Rose was back.

"Rose-" he cleared his throat again. "Tell me what is disturbing you. Please." The distant look in her eyes could only mean something was wrong. Of course, there was the _call-girl_ thing…

Apparently, he was right.

"I don't even know how a proper prostitute should behave."

"Sad eyes, usually looking down in shame?"

"I see _Pretty Woman_ wasn't exactly educational," she smiled softly at him, remembering the day – and the said film they had decided on watching when Rose had asked the TARDIS for something sweet to watch – as if it were yesterday.

"Not really," the Doctor agreed. Not when his companion had gone all teary in multiple parts of it. "But I suppose it's for the better," he eyed her thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, you are up for making it even more challenging," the Gallifreyan teased her softly.

"More… what?" Rose did not dare to hope he meant more _intimate_. Even something as ordinary as kissing was a no-no for her Doctor. They were touching all the time, anyway.

"Er- something more… more _believable_."

 _With you shying away from anything out of your comfort zone?_ "More believable, as in- me being the call-girl, you being the client? How is this even supposed to work?" Rose forced a smile.

His eyes widened. "Rose!" However quiet, it sounded nearly deafening for both the Doctor and his blonde companion still in the TARDIS corridor. The alien knew they were too far away from the two girls to be heard, yet he mused uncomfortably.

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "Shush, Doctor. I am trying to play by the rules we were _given_. Would you please cooperate?"

The Doctor's eyes were subconsciously following the movement of her lips again.

The blonde caught his stare. "What?"

"You're beautiful, Rose," he said simply, careful not to allow any of his masterfully-hidden emotions slip through.

"Will you say it more often now that I am wearing this lipstick? Or do you have a secret liking of people wearing your clothes?" Rose smiled, afraid to take his words for granted.

His suit jacket was visibly too tight for her, but Rose said nothing on it. It was very likely going to stay one of the most personal experiences concerning the Doctor's things touching her bare flesh.

"If it's you wearing it," he shrugged, suddenly looking away, albeit allowing a playfully flirtatious tone colour his voice. "It's not often we get to share clothes like this."

The companion sent him an intense look, happy he turned back to meet at least the last glimpse of it. "Would you rather we did?" she breathed. "Doctor?"

"How do you think?" His voice was no louder.

Rose bit her lip, not in the mood for games, the situation complicated as it were.

The Doctor immediately saw her tension returning and proved he truly was the best one when it came to dropping the subject. "Should we continue looking for my room, or?"

Rose cleared her throat. "Yeah. The sooner this farce is over and done with, the better…"

"Is my room where the said kindergarten is, d' you reckon?" The Time Lord was visibly having much fun with all of this.

"Maybe," the girl shrugged. There were _other_ things she needed to know. The seriousness of her expression made the Doctor shudder.

"Go ahead, Rose," he encouraged. _I have spent way too much time in_ not _telling you things._

Rose was not surprised about him being able to see when she needed to talk to him… but the fact the Doctor encouraged her to do so was a new thing. Wasn't _everything_?

She did not waste time, afraid he might change his mind any second. "They- Donna told me you were sad, because you thought I wouldn't be here to join you…"

He gave her a brisk nod.

The companion smiled at him sincerely. "I am here and am not leaving you, my Doctor," her voice fell the moment the Doctor sent her a warning glance, pressing their hands firmly together. Something was off. They were no longer alone.

A familiar voice addressed the Doctor. _Martha._

"Need some help? I see your friend has forgotten her manners. It's only obvious she would have to leave soon-"

Rose was watching the Doctor's face darken, but said nothing.

"No. What are _you_ doing here, in the first place?"

Martha took his question as a permission. "I realised you can't have gone far. It's not that your room is anywhere close, anyway," she smirked – _dared_ to smirk at him! The Doctor glared at her, but allowed her to continue. The TARDIS and he would need to have a serious talk afterwards.

"I thought the sooner I caught you the quicker you got me back to where I need to be. Besides, the ship not showing you to your room immediately might mean she is against you bringing strangers on board. Of course, your call-girl might not understand the specifics, considering her probably non-existent education- no offense, _dear_ -"

Rose blinked, trying to breathe as inaudibly as possible, knowing she should feel sorry for the disillusioned companion.

The Doctor exhaled, furious. This was it. "Martha." She tried to meet his eyes, but he looked at the other woman instead. "Are you okay?" The tenderness in his voice was self-explicatory.

"Getting used to this," Rose brushed it off.

"No offence taken," she glanced at Martha.

The Doctor was incredulous. "Yes?"

"Oh… This is a part of my daily life. Don't worry. All you need to do now is send her to her exam. We could talk afterwards, yeah?"

"And do all the other things?" he remembered the role he was supposed to be playing.

"That's what I'm getting paid for," the blonde breathed out, a seductive smile on her lips.

Martha found the strength to address the girl then. "Might I give you a personal question? Just one?"

Rose nodded.

"What is so special about you?"

"Nothing. I'd say I'm just an ordinary human woman," she shrugged.

The Doctor felt like banging his head to the wall. This was getting off-hand far too quickly, but he was determined to keep the ball rolling until told otherwise.

"Not ordinary. She's… she's a real expert in her field," the Doctor's eyes burned Rose's, who concentrated on keeping the treacherous blush off her face.

Rose glared at him, then at Martha. "It was a real pleasure talking to you, but I think you should leave us," she spoke in a business-like voice. "We have urgent things to attend to, he and I."

The dark-skinned companion did not need to be told twice.

* * *

Martha was back in console room in minutes, her face pale as chalk.

"What is it? Have you come upon them doing something?" Donna approached her innocently.

"No. Not yet. _Who_ is she?"

"How should _I_ know?"

" _He_ knows her _very_ well, apparently."

The ginger eyed her. "That's only understandable."

"What?"

Donna stared at Martha, visibly scandalised. "In simple terms? It's none of our business!"

* * *

"What possessiveness," Rose teased the Doctor moments after the girl was out of sight. "It seems she has a crush on you," she noted.

"Probably," he agreed, noticing a door right next to them. "This must be ours," he smiled. "Er. Mine. Yep. This has to be the door to my room. Ladies first!"

Rose grinned and stepped inside.

The candles must have been the old girl's idea. The clothes… _her_ clothes, neatly folded on the king-sized bed- Rose shook her head, incredulous. The Doctor barely ever slept. "Is this her idea, too?"

His wide eyes answered the question.

"Romantic, are you, TARDIS?" Rose muttered, not expecting for a reply. The situation was very disturbing, indeed.

The Doctor was too shocked to say anything.

The pink and yellow human noticed the said photos on the walls then.

"Oh! I wish I could have had some of these with me, when-" She touched some of those she could reach tenderly, smiling at the memories.

"Promise me one thing," the Doctor spoke huskily, having found his tongue at long last.

"Anything," Rose assured him.

"Don't leave me again?"

"Never intended to," she smiled.

The Doctor's lips softly brushed the top of her head. Rose shivered.

"What is it? Does this- does this make you uncomfortable?"

Rose shook her head. _Silly Doctor._ "No. It's getting a bit cold, that's all."

The alien shrugged. "The temperature is fixed by the TARDIS to suit my companions' needs, you know that." He has adjusted fairly easily, barely feeling the slight increase in warmth in the ship nowadays. "Or do you mean-"

The fair-haired human shrugged. "I could do with some sleep, in theory."

"Are you tired?" The Doctor was purposefully ignoring the ship's intended plan.

Rose did not think she could allow herself to fall asleep any time soon. "No. Do you know how much time a… well, a paid-for service of- sexual nature takes?"

The Doctor grinned. "As if I knew."

"Well… we could have a… a quickie… or…" Rose was red in shame, the candle-light only intensifying the effect.

"We _could_ , he agreed. "But with you being the highest-class call-girl, known across the galaxies? I don't think a quick shag would do."


	5. What She Wants

**Previously…**

" _Well… we could have a… a quickie… or…" Rose was red in shame, the candle-light only intensifying the effect._

" _We could, he agreed. "But with you being the highest-class call-girl, known across the galaxies? I don't think a quick shag would do."_

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**What She Wants**

Rose knew turning away from him was the best decision to make…

"Yeah?" She breathed out instead, cursing herself inwardly the next second. The Doctor's proximity and the dim light was clouding her reasoning, she decided. "Is this… is this what you want?"

The Doctor broke the mood at once, smirking. "Do I want _what_?"

Rose gaped. This sort of behaviour – at least in their situation – was only making things worse. _So much worse_. "If you could just… stop it," the girl rolled her eyes at him. It might be a game. An intended farce… but this coming from her Time Lord did not help her in the slightest.

"Anything you want," he reminded her softly, sensing her discomfort. Even if it was clear stopping was the last thing she – the last thing _he_ desired…

Rose blinked. Was he being serious about the whole _whatever you want_ thing? The Doctor, of all people? This required too much consideration she could not allow herself to spend any time on. Not when there were more pressing things which needed to be fixed as soon as possible.

"What _I_ want is not important at the moment."

He shook his head, as if having woken up from a dream. However, his voice remained barely above a whisper. "Does Martha's exam worry you this much?"

She shrugged, then nodded.

"Are you not angry at her?"

"No."

The Time Lord eyed her searchingly. This was so much like his Rose, caring about other people more than she did about herself.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep," she said, popping the 'p' just the way he usually did. The Doctor could almost believe her.

One way or another, this was a lost case. And he knew he'd rather lose to Rose Tyler than to anybody else.

"We'll have to deal with this first, then," he relented, a soft smile on his face. "But this would mean more pretending… Are you sure you are capable of this?"

"Absolutely." Rose smirked, unable to fully hide her relief at his reaction. "Are _you_ ready for it, though?" She did not want to make him more uncomfortable than they both already were, but he gave her a seductive grin. "I am ready if you are, oh lover," he winked at her.

She mimicked his expression. "Considering my being admired across the galaxies for my… er… _skills_ …" the Londoner blushed furiously at the subject she herself had so thoughtlessly touched upon – _this is an act. Nothing else._ No matter what she might have been dreaming about – it was utterly impossible. Had to be. "…what is it you love the most?"

The grin on the Doctor's face widened, albeit it did not mask the surprise in his darkened eyes.

This was all it took for Rose to regret _ever_ starting this. "No! Wait. We shouldn't- musn't- Let's just forget it, yeah?"

He shook his head slightly. "No! It's not that… I _need_ you to talk to me, Rose. We need to… talk over our next steps, considering the-"

The companion eyed him hopefully then. It seemed the Doctor was ready to go as far as common sense allowed. Which did not mean anything else than their usual banter, really, albeit the topic was unusual. Rose could not hide an amused expression now on her face, giggling. "You mean sex?"

The Gallifreyan smirked, not flustered. "Indeed. Since when are you so open about these things?"

She stared. All right, this was getting out of hand way too quickly. It was only a question of time now when she would let go of this ridiculous pointless charade. "That much is expected from a _prostitute_ ," Rose's voice fell at the final word.

However, she cleared her throat the next instant, suddenly finding the atmosphere in the room suffocating. "As much as I love the old girl's efforts… Let's just leave your room for now? I need to breathe!"

 _Of course._ The Doctor nodded, taking in the sight around them for one more time. "I'm sorry. This was not my idea, Rose!" What if she was mad at him for this?

"I know, Doctor!" She smiled, suddenly changing her mind, as a thought hit her. "We can't just leave, though."

The Time Lord could not help but was amused. It was much better than the tension which used to surround them so often all these years ago. "No? Why's that, then?"

Rose was feeling terribly uncomfortable out of the sudden. "We- we should give them some proof we were-"

"Doing _things_."

"Well, yeah… but if this idea disturbs you as much as it disturbs me, we can always-" Rose could swear the times she felt blush colour her cheeks this day were more intense and frequent than ever. She might have blushed once or twice _a week_ in her ordinary _boring_ everyday life in the Powell Estates, particularly when talking with Shareen or other girls... But this was something entirely different. _Good_ different.

"Oh, not at all," the Gallifreyan assured her, his expression suddenly playful. "What do you want me to do?"

 _Anything you want_ was ringing in her ears, but Rose only shrugged uneasily. How much was _too_ much?

The Doctor did not waste time on trivialities, coming up with an idea in an instant. A _brilliant_ idea, at that. Or so he thought. "Leaving a mark on your neck should be obvious enough, I think? Nothing too intimate?"

Before Rose could fully register his words, least of all respond, she felt his cool lips and equally cool tongue drawing ornaments on her heated skin. It was too unexpected and sudden, having the Doctor expertly finishing his task with a satisfied smirk on his lips, if slightly more deep in colour.

The girl gasped for air, as the Doctor stepped away from her, clearly content with his _work_.

She glared at him. "This is all so _wrong_ ," Rose breathed, feeling her eyes water. This should not have happened. Not like this.

"Is it, _love_?"

The blonde groaned in frustration. Was he really so- "You should have- should have at least asked me first!"

"I am sorry! Has this been too much?"

Rose stared at him, but did not answer directly. "Let's just go? Or would you like to tear some buttons off your suit jacket for a better effect first?" Her words were soaked with sarcasm.

"Off _my_ suit jacket? The one you're wearing? Why would you-"

 _Oh._ It was his turn to blush at his own foolishness. Rose was angry at him. Angry and (very possibly) hurt… Just what he had been trying to avoid, always…

 _Damn it._ Of course, it _had_ to be Rose. This girl was making him forget his reason. If this were Jackie, he'd already been slapped into his next regeneration.

Not that he wanted this. To make his pink and yellow human go through this again? _Never._

 _Never say 'never ever'_. Well, he didn't! Not exactly, besides, he was _never ever_ going to let Rose out of his sight again. To hell with superstitions. If only he could be as good with talking about other things…

"We should really be back by now," Rose muttered.

"Not if-"

"You need to get Martha back to her exam," she reminded. At least the girl was not there now to see her badly-hidden frustration.

As holding hands was not an option at this moment (not for Rose), they were rushing back to the console room in tense silence. The Tyler girl realised she would make good use of her room now. Be it only to stay alone for a few moments…

However, the Doctor suddenly came to a stop.

"Rose, wait, I-"

She stopped, unable not to. "I _am_ waiting, see?" She spoke bitterly, avoiding his eyes.

He spoke, breathless. "I am so sorry about this, Rose! We could end this here and now. I could remove the- the mark off your _deliciously enticing_ neck with my sonic in no time, and all would be _good_ again between us! Deal?"

Rose smiled, grabbing his hand happily. "Nope."

The question in his eyes made her giggle. "If coming up with a believable – kind of - story was all it took to have you attack me with such fervour- oh."

"You're not mad at me?"

"It depends," she looked over him seductively, tearing the first button of his suit jacket self-consciously. She was going to sew it back later, he knew, as it was safely put in his pocket right after. After… He gulped. Why was she doing this to him?

"Are you… are you sure about this?" He was not upset about her ruining his cherished clothing – he has had dozens more identical ones, anyway-

The Doctor gulped, unable to tear his eyes off her. First her lips, now her barely covered chest- no, this was still covered well enough. Almost too well…

"Enjoying this?" She breathed, almost absentmindedly getting rid of another of his suit jacket buttons. This one, she allowed to fall onto the floor. The Doctor did not care.

"Doctor."

He could not speak, his mouth agape.

"I am _so_ sorry," she whispered. "But someone has to-"

"Rose. Oh. Rose." The Doctor did not ask anything. "Make me stop while you can."

"If this means you are about to kiss me… go on. We must do _something_ , after all."

This made the Doctor regain some of his remaining reason. "Why are you doing this, exactly?"

"Why do you think?" Rose seemed perfectly sensible, and yet… Rose cleared her throat. "Anyway. You do realise we can't tell Martha who I am until she gets to finish her final exam?"

"I am trying!" He almost shouted at her. If his pink and yellow girl only knew how much it took for him not to snog her senseless here and now… Actually, he was just about to- Having these lips and these almost-uncovered breasts so unbelievably, _unjustifiably_ close-

Martha's mocking voice broke the mood at once. What, how was she even here?

"Here, here. The drama finally begins? What have you told him?" Martha glared at Rose. "That you're pregnant with his baby?"

The Doctor returned the glare at the dark-skinned human. "Too much telly, as Donna would say."

"Too much of unjustified jealousy," the said ginger noted from a distance. Before the Doctor could give her the expected question, Donna answered it. "Knew I couldn't leave you two alone with her. Sorry, Martha."

"He's working on getting you back," Rose smiled at Martha soothingly, only getting a stare back. Who was she to even address her, in the first place?

"I think the only place he's working with is between your legs," the frustrated companion spat.

Donna was about to brutally get Martha out of their sight, but Rose stopped her. "Let her stay. It's always interesting to hear what the Doctor's companions think of me." After all, he chooses them for a reason!" Only then did Rose glance at him. He saw it all. The pain. The shock. Disbelief. However, she was grinning at her, only maddening Martha further.

"Is this what this really is? The Doctor, his companion and his unreasonably adored prostitute are all against me now? As if I wanted to be torn out of my exam just when-"

The Doctor was about to lose control any second now. Gesturing for Donna to somehow lead Martha out, she breathed into his ear, even if her words sounded just a bit too tearful. "I can take this. So can you. What if we get rid of more of these tiny useless things on your suit jacket?"

This was when his lips were on hers.


	6. Two Weeks?

**Previously…**

_The Doctor was about to lose control any second now. Gesturing for Donna to somehow lead Martha out, she breathed into his ear, even if her words sounded just a bit too tearful. "I can take this. So can you. What if we get rid of more of these tiny useless things on your suit jacket?"_

_This was when his lips were on hers._

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_**Two Weeks?** _

Rose took an entire tenth of a second – _much too long_ – to answer the unexpected gesture with her own. Soon, all that could be heard in the – thanks to Donna – room finally empty of audience were the wet kissing noises. Noses bumping, teeth clashing, tongues battling while the right angle was finally found – this was all forgotten moments afterwards. The unexpected wave of blissful delight shook them both to the core simultaneously. The gasp of shock – of _pleasure_ \- was mutual…

They broke away at the same time, the still-present surprise on their faces.

The Doctor directed his look to the ceiling, mock-disapproval in his voice. "We can do all this by ourselves, thanks very much, old girl."

Rose giggled. "She's happy, s'all."

"Are _you_?"

"Well…" she shrugged. "Considering."

The Doctor pretended to be deeply shocked. "Considering _what_ , exactly?"

Her eyes widened.

"I am not an actress. Never wanted to be," the fair-haired human breathed out.

"We can always tell Martha the truth, Rose."

She shook her head, biting her lip. "No, we can't."

"No? Why?"

Rose gaped at him. "She must have been preparing herself for this day for months! We can't distract her any further. Do you understand, my Doctor?"

He nodded. "Yes, but Martha's words are _hurting_ you. I can see that!"

Of course he could. "Not that much of an actress, remember? But you are supposed to see through my mask. Always were able to, whether I liked it or not," she admitted.

He eyed her teasingly. "There is one more thing I remember. What about your offer to tear out another of-?"

Rose grinned. "It's your piece of clothing, not mine. Do you realise getting rid of it will bare my chest again?"

"Oh, yes," he winked at her. "Having paid so much for a call-girl of such value, don't I have the right?"

The blonde rolled her eyes at him good naturedly. She _needed_ to remain reasonable, no matter what. "Go on, then. But, as a Tyler, I have the right to slap you, all right?"

 _The cheek!_ The Doctor did not try to hide the fact he missed this. "No. I suppose I'll keep away from the pleasure of goggling at you for now, then. Tyler. But I am still going to kiss you. Right now," he smirked. "Just- are you okay with this?"

She closed her eyes, welcoming him and very keenly losing herself in the Doctor's embrace.

"No, no, wait! I'd rather we stopped," Rose suddenly realised something was missing. Judging from the stare on the Doctor's face, she knew just what it was. "Sorry! I never wanted-"

He grinned at her. " _I_ am sorry. Naturally, the TARDIS keeps pushing us together, and I-"

"There's no need of the jacket any more, I reckon," the Londoner creaked in a fit of giggles, understanding the remaining jacket buttons were gone. _All_ of them. As the Time Lord's hands were – she could strictly remember – solely caressing her face or massaging her tense shoulders while they were indulged in snogging each other breathless…

Rose sighed. "Fine. Old girl. You got what you wanted. Give me my clothes now? Please?"

The clearly disapproving sound was all they got for an answer.

"Okay… I still have the skirt," she grimaced, pulling it as high up as she could, glad its length was just enough to cover the parts she needed covered.

Finally feeling somewhat less bare, the girl decided to make use of their time… only not in the way the Time Lord might have secretly hoped for.

"Doctor. I need to know." _Before it is too late to stop hoping._ "Why choose to do this? Why like this? I believe we are alone in the room still- you didn't have to-"

He eyed her searchingly, not a bit surprised. If anyone was going to address the complicated matter of their relationship… this had to be Rose. "Precisely because we are finally alone, _my Rose_. I want this. Do you?"

"Yes." _God, yes! "_ Have always been dreaming of this moment, but-"

"They could come up on us? Does this frighten you? Really?"

Rose shook her head. "No, but-"

"But?" he embraced her firmly. She did the same, smirking and changing the subject. Apparently, no deeper discussion was to be had between them any time soon. She could wait. Especially when… "You do realise the TARDIS has just landed?"

The Doctor smirked. Rose was either just as perceptive as always or he was right and the two women still shared a connection apparently impossible to destroy completely.

Neither of the possibilities was a bad thing, he realised.

"I _have_ noticed, but- is this a matter of primary importance?"

"Right now, it is," she gave him a determined nod. "The sooner it's over with that exam of Martha's, the better." She _hoped_ the ship knew what she was doing.

The Time Lord shrugged, an uneasy sensation suddenly filling him. "If you say so, love. Come with me?"

"Always. But shouldn't we inform Martha first?"

"Not until I am certain we're in the right universe. Entire _galaxies_ are either freezing or-"

He opened the ship's door uncertainly, almost snapping it shut the moment he met Rose's eyes, suddenly aware of the unmasked dread on her face. They were suddenly overtaken by a wave of intolerable heat, something the companion was _very_ familiar with these days. But the first thing the girl noticed was not the surroundings. She paid no mind to that.

What she noticed were the zeppelins in the sky. The _goddamned_ zeppelins. She knew immediately where this was. _What_ this was.

A goodbye.

Suddenly, Rose felt her legs give in, as only the two strong hands holding her were there to keep her from falling. She did not care.

There was not a single reason for her to hide her suddenly understandable tears from him now, but she managed to anyway.

"Is this where it all ends?" Rose could but whisper, open sorrow in her eyes. "Like this? Another farewell? Has this been your plan all along?"

The Doctor pulled her to himself, startled. "No! Don't you _dare_ think that, Rose Tyler. Do you know what place this is?"

"No. Should I care?" _If you're leaving anyway._

He did the most unacceptable thing then. Gave her his most sincere grin. "They call it _Kaap die Goeie Hoop_ , Rose! We're in Africa!"

Rose watched him, not understanding. Was the Doctor making fun of her? He was capable of that. In the worst of situations.

"It's _Cape of Good Hope_ , Rose! Isn't it beautiful?" The alien was almost trembling with excitement.

It _was_ beautiful. But he was _leaving_. How could he look so _shamelessly_ happy?

"What is it, love? I thought- the TARDIS must have thought it a place good enough to- you see, I can't risk allowing her to travel between galaxies so frequently, you know- wait. I knew I should probably stick to Europe first. Nineteenth century Paris? Fourteenth century Rome? Or the future? Yes! The future! I could show you-"

Rose's eyes were glistening, as she suddenly understood the very unlikely possibility. "Doctor. Doctor!"

"Yes?" He grinned, having seen the joy _finally_ enlightening her face.

"You have brought me here only to _show_ me this? Not to leave me for good?" She could barely breathe. It was almost too much to take.

" _Rasillon_ , Rose! Have I failed in my attempts to show you just how much I- What do you want me to do?"

"You don't have to do anything, Doctor." Rose assured him, feeling a blissful sensation of relief washing over her. "I love you too, it's just- you never said, I might have felt- forgotten, I suppose?"

He gasped, trying and failing to push the feeling of guilt away completely. "This must be fixed as soon as possible. You can't ever be left thinking- I have never _forgotten_ you." Her eyes, her smile, her voice, her laughter… And now _she_ was right there with him again! The Doctor could not believe his luck. Or his fate. Or whatever. He was ready to believe in anything and everything, if it meant Rose would always stay with him.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Her soft voice woke the Time Lord from his thoughts.

He winked at her. "Do you think we should return before they notice something's wrong?"

"Doesn't crossing universes damage the TARDIS?"

"I'm afraid it does. But she should have enough energy to return us back," he assured her.

"Good. What about Martha, though? Doesn't she- hasn't she studied in the- in my original universe?"

The Doctor eyed the companion thoughtfully. "Give her two weeks, and the TARDIS will be ready to travel throughout the galaxies again. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt Martha to reread the material again," he smirked wickedly.

Rose paled. "Are you certain? Because this means-" _More pretending. More lies._

"Just a little more. More acting. More fun! Right, darling?"

The companion doubted it was going to be _fun_. "If you say so," she smiled uncertainly anyway, allowing him to give the ship the coordinates the Doctor must have known so well.

"Come. You need to rest. To relax. To get some sleep, for one thing. What better place for that than the candlelit bedroom, eh?"

She grinned, her lips – still just as enticingly red – allowing a tip of her tongue to slip through.

"Oh, no. No, my Rose –" her name was barely breathed out - "I am _not_ playing this game with you."

"What have I done?"

He shook his head. This was neither the time nor the place. "Let's just go. I can see the TARDIS has moved the bedroom much closer this time."

Rose did not object, glad the clothes the ship had prepared for her to wear were still there. She ignored the fact they were not something she would usually wear.

Telling him she was going to take a shower, Rose was gone in her en-suite, leaving the Doctor with an appreciative searching look on his face.

* * *

 

The Doctor closed the door reluctantly, finding himself eye-to-eye with Martha Jones. He remembered she still didn't know anything… and he was going to have to keep quiet for – approximately – two _bloody_ weeks.

"How's your shagging-fest going?" Martha was not wasting any time on niceties. "More importantly," she cleared her throat, seeing the Doctor's face redden at her words – either from shame or fury, she honestly didn't care which, "how is getting me back going?"

"Two weeks," the Time Lord said simply, putting all of his strength in _not_ hurting the companion.

He had to be kidding. Martha rolled her eyes at him.

"Really, though, Doctor. Do you plan on keeping the blonde for more than one night? She keeps acting as if-"

The Doctor glared at the dark-skinned human. Martha Jones was making one serious mistake after another and was currently threatening her own fate. If only Rose was here…

He breathed out, calming himself. "Everything's _spectacular_." _All but your exam._

"What's up with you and this _slag_ , Doctor, if I might ask?"

"You might not. And never, ever use that word on her – or on anyone – again. What's _wrong_ with you, Martha Jones? What has she done to you?"

The dark-skinned companion glared at him. "What's wrong with _you_ , Doctor? Has she put a spell on you?"

"Since when does this interest you so bloody much, Martha?"

She backed away at the threatening look he sent her.

"Besides, no such thing as magic exists in real life. Always remember that. Go start rereading your notes, or- something…"

The Doctor lost his gift of speech at that moment, meeting Rose's amused look. "Can't just sleep while I'm with you, can I?"

Martha turned her eyes away, leaving without a word.


	7. The Risks that We Take

**Previously…**

_The Doctor lost his gift of speech at that moment, meeting Rose's amused look. "Can't just sleep while I'm with you, can I?"_

_Martha turned her eyes away, leaving without a word._

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**The Risks that We Take**

Rose chortled, regarding Martha incredulously, but only addressing the Doctor when the dark-haired human was out of earshot. "What was it I said?"

The Doctor opened his mouth, then closed it again.

The girl blinked, watching him bemusedly. Maybe she shouldn't have said that. "What is it?"

He cleared his throat, barely managing to keep his eyes fixed on hers rather than allowing them wander over her barely covered body shamelessly. Checking Rose out when she wasn't looking was forgivable… This was not the case tonight.

"First things first. _What_ , in the name of everything holy to you, are you wearing?"

Rose blushed. The white silky garment went barely below her hips and basically everything could be seen through its thin texture… without even trying to very much. "A nightie, I guess?"

"What is this made of? A shadow?" The glare was meant for the ship, who blared in protest.

"Never mind," he addressed Rose with an uncomfortable shrug a moment later. "The TARDIS is apparently choosing to be straight with making her point tonight. I guess this _nightie_ " - he cleared his throat, feeling  unusually tense all of a sudden – "is _her_ idea, too?"

The companion nodded, choosing to defend the ship's choices this time. "Women wearing things like that to bed is not something unheard of," Rose teased him lightly.

"Anyway, the ship wouldn't give me anything else. Don't you like it? Not one bit?"

He _loved_ it. On the brief instances he dared to look down Rose's body and the way the overly provoking nightgown covered so little of her voluptuous, admirable, desirable body- He wanted to touch her. To feel her. _Desperately._

The Doctor shook the unwelcome thoughts off. He had _kissed_ her. This was supposed to be enough for a lifetime.

Rose was watching his inner fight with a sad smile on her face. Before it progressed into shame or self-loathing the girl knew he had always been ready to sink in, she did the only thing she thought right, kissing him, the kiss slow and thorough. He answered the kiss eagerly, his hands feeling braver this time. Suddenly feeling her pleasantly warm tongue still in his mouth, the Doctor backed away, ashamed.

"Sorry. So sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"You are _supposed_ to react this way," Rose smiled at him understandingly. "At least you weren't jumping at me the moment you first saw me in my nightwear. You were only following your instincts, and that's _fine_ ," she assured him, still feeling the warmth of his unusually intimate embrace lingering on her body. "Besides, I like to know when blokes like what they see."

"Judging from the mark on your neck, dear, he surely does," Donna - wherever _she_ had come from - grinned at them, not saying a word about what Rose was wearing. Before the blonde could react, he wrapped his arms around her possessively, every trace of shame forgotten.

"My absolute favourite couple, you are," the ginger giggled knowingly. "Just before you proceed – I'd continue whatever you were about to do away from prying eyes, yeah?" – Donna's grin widened when she saw both of them blush furiously – "one of us is panicking and wouldn't stop whining- how about Martha's trip back?"

The Doctor cleared his throat, letting go of Rose. "Er. I- It's going to take time. Perhaps slightly more than expected...'

Donna looked at them understandingly, his apparent discomfort stopping her from teasing the couple.

"You are too busy with each other, I get that. But someone has to warn Martha about the difficulties you're facing."

Martha has apparently composed herself to return and face them, her words purposefully bitter and biting. "No difficulties in bed, I presume?"

"No. None. Never," he answered sharply without thinking.

Martha Jones could not hide her shock at his brutal reply, but she could not stop herself from reciprocating, neither hearing nor seeing the other two women. "So, Doctor. Am I getting to my exam any time soon, or do you prefer fucking barely-dressed blonde whores to actually helping your friends?"

"I am ashamed, Martha Jones."

"You should be. I can't understand how you could have fallen so low, Doctor. I have been fairly certain you are above these things! Inviting women like _her_ on board? For what? For a quality shag?"

Both Rose's and the Doctor's eyes were completely void of emotion. Either that or both of them were too immersed in avoiding meeting the other's. Rose knew the moment she locked her eyes to his all would be lost. The Time Lord was aware of that too.

"I'll just allow you to vent, Martha," he grimaced, pushing the desire to at least shout at her away. He knew Rose wouldn't like that.

The ginger wrapped one arm around Rose's shoulder, her eyes sending bolts to Martha. "I think the Doctor is ashamed because of having _you_ aboard this time," Donna noted.

"Is she always like this?" the redhead addressed the Doctor plainly, aware of the pulsating tension in the room.

"Only when his alien behaviour asks for it," Martha growled, allowing her eyes to meet Rose's, who smiled. She _smiled_ at her. _She_ smiled at her! The dark-skinned companion was too flustered and annoyed to make something other than mockery out of it. But she never got the chance to throw an insult at her… or at anyone.

The Doctor cleared his throat. Having to calm down someone he himself was furious at – if he was being brutally honest with himself – was hardly his strongest point. Rose was good at that. She was good at so many things, his Rose Marion Tyler… But this was not about her, he reminded himself.

He spoke to Martha icily. "She and I, we know each other. Quite intimately, too, if this interests you so bloody much, Martha Jones. Although it really, _really_ should not matter to you! I think we have established some boundaries during our travels. Haven't we?" The Doctor was no longer sure.

"Yeah? I bet _Rose_ knew every single thing about you?" The companion's words were bitter and purposefully intended to hurt _her,_ the _prostitute_. After all, she must have been used to this.

In an instant, forgetting all of his original intention not to look at Rose, he was by her side, welcoming the grin Donna gave him before leaving the couple on their own. He grabbed Rose's hand, yet continued talking to Martha. "I shouldn't have spoken of her to you, in the first place. I see that now." His tone was no less harsh than the dark-haired companion's had been. "But guess what - she _did_."

Donna's concerned voice chirped in at that moment, making it clear she had been following the entire conversation. "I must warn you, Martha," she said. "Don't be too upset if he fails to get you to the correct time and place."

The dark-haired companion grimaced. "Wouldn't be anything new."

The Doctor shrugged at her words. He _knew_ it was not going to work. Knew painfully well his precious ship had her limits when out of power sufficient to transport herself throughout galaxies, even when, for some parallels-shaking reason (that needed to be found and fixed, his Time Lord mind screamed), the travels had become possible again.

"Come. All I need is give the TARDIS the correct coordinates." The Doctor spoke to himself and to everyone on board.

Rose Tyler, however, only meant her words for one person. "All you _really_ need is a hand to hold," her pleasant voice joined the conversation, bringing a grin to the Time Lord's face.

"Correct. Can't believe I have survived for so long without it," his face brightened up visibly. Every moment spent without Rose by his side tonight suddenly felt like a moment wasted.

Of course, the amazing Martha Jones had to come in… "Ahem. You were about to get me to my exam. I am already losing hope of attending it this year," she rolled her eyes.

The Doctor stared at her as if she were insane. "Never ever lose hope, Martha. Stay here, I'll go check if we've arrived."

"Why can't _I_ do it?"

"You just can't," he spoke in a hurry. Might be too dangerous. Here, look at the map the TARDIS has put up just for you."

The dark-skinned human was accustomed to being left behind. But with a map she knew like her own hand, the very same that used to hang on her wall at home, then has somehow appeared in her room on the TARDIS… Might be the sentient time ship just fancied London. Or perhaps the map itself. Who could say what the sentient machine liked best? Not her, she assumed bitterly.

The blonde girl eyed the map curiously. It was a map of London of her childhood. "Just look at that! Genius, this!" Rose squealed in excitement, surprising the other girl greatly.

Martha cleared her throat, grimacing with distaste. "Is 'genius' one of the difficult words you have learnt from the 'a word a day' calendar? Just wondering…"

Rose bit back the wish to answer harshly. "You don't need to waste your time in pretending to be nice with me, you know, Martha. The one true genius on board isn't watching us," she turned her head slightly towards the console room, where the Doctor was supposed to be checking if they had landed where they were, according to Martha, supposed to.

Martha's eyes widened at the girl's understanding of the situation. Her decision to avoid addressing the blonde without need was momentarily forgotten. "How… _how_ do you manage to make him do all these things for you? Is this a natural talent of yours? Or is this a talent every call-girl is supposed to possess, wanting to get recognised? Up the ladder, so to speak?" Disdain was dripping off her words. She did not hide her dislike from Rose, but gave her yet another question anyway. "What do you have to entice him so? Or do you have this weird effect on every man?"

"The Doctor's only taking what he's paid for," Rose said, not looking at Martha. " _Everything_."

* * *

The Time Lord and his ginger companion were having a discussion of their own.

"What about disclosing Rose's identity?" Donna asked him worriedly. "She's straining to keep it up, no matter what she lets on!"

"The old girl is determined to wait until Martha realises it herself," the Doctor shrugged at Donna.

"This is ridiculous," the ginger rolled her eyes. "There must be a way. What about making Martha find herself in your room?"

He shook his head. "Rose would not forgive me if the revelation affected the final result of her exam. Right," he cleared his throat, "we must return and tell them – Martha, anyway – the trip was unsuccessful."

"You better prepare yourself for an outbreak, then!"

"Naah. It doesn't seem like Martha to me. _Allons-y_?"

The Doctor's optimism amused Donna greatly, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

"What are we going to do, then? _Two weeks_ , Doctor!"

"Er. Maybe less than that, if we take good care of the TARDIS," he assured her.

" _Maybe_ is not good enough," Donna chastised.

"We could _cheat_."

"That's the Doctor as I know him!" She grinned, poking him on the chest. "Cheat? How?"

Having heard his suggestion, Donna Noble burst out laughing. "Seriously?"

"Yep! Genius, me! Shall we go?"

Donna wondered if she should pity his fair-haired companion in advance. Rose was _not_ going to like it, that much was for certain…


	8. (Ex)Changes

**Previously…**

_Having heard his suggestion, Donna Noble burst out laughing. "Seriously?"_

" _Yep! Genius, me! Shall we go?"_

_Donna wondered if she should pity his fair-haired companion in advance. Rose was not going to like it, that much was for certain…_

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**(Ex)Changes**

She decided against it. That way, if things got out of hand, Donna Noble was not going to be the one to blame. "It's _your_ idea. Shouldn't you talk to her about it first, Doctor?"

He nodded determinedly, his chocolate eyes sparkling with excitement. The fiery companion shrugged with one shoulder towards Rose, leaving it all to him.

Rose's grin fell off her face as soon as the Time Lord worded his intention to her. She could barely keep her voice down, disbelief colouring her words. "What?!" She took a calming breath, staring at him. "I am sorry, Doctor. Are you bloody serious?"

He blinked, surprised at her reaction. "Um… yes?"

Rose sighed, finding it hard to believe he chose to suggest _that_ game. _Any_ game was a bad idea at this point, but _this_ one was possibly in the top three of the worst choices he could have made.

"Are you sure you're feeling well, Doctor?" No-one in his right might would-

"Yes, right as rain, why?"

_Bloody hell._ He _was_ being serious. Rose could not help it but kept her eyes locked with his, barely noticing the amused look on Donna's face.

"You do know the game must include alcohol? Drinking it?"

"Yes," the Doctor lowered his voice, grinning. "Some _very_ strong alcohol, at that. Some of the kinds I have in mind should knock them out soon enough. Assuming we- you… unless you want to, of course-" Okay. Maybe he should have thought about _that_ possibility first.

"The fact you suggest the game of _Truth or Dare_ is bad enough. There is _no_ way I am drinking anything. Not with them around, thank you very much! Especially not when I must keep my identity secret for…how long? Two more weeks? _Two weeks_? Because of _one_ person?"

"I keep telling you, you can simply tell Martha the truth," he said, already knowing what Rose was about to say.

"No."

The Doctor only smiled at her knowingly to that. "You can say _anything_ about yourself now, you know?" He reminded her, the somewhat impish grin on his face.

"Still not drinking," she glared at him. Was it just her luck all the silliest ideas the Doctor had were to be tested on her?

"Not even if I prepare a lemonade-like drink for you instead? It will look just the same as the one I'm about to offer them, I promise!"

Rose rolled her eyes at him. Of course, she should have known there was no way of talking him off the unimaginable idea. "What about you?"

" _What_ about me?"

"What about if you are given questions you never answer, Doctor? Your real name, for example?"

He shrugged. "I'll have a shot, just like the others."

"A shot of _what_? Are you planning to get sloshed and leave me alone to deal with them?"

"No," the Doctor shook his head. "The most it could do is get us a bit dizzy. Trust me, Rose!"

_Us._ Rose allowed herself to grin at him. He could _never_ leave her alone in this. "You mean that lemonade-whatever thing, right?"

"Yep!"

Rose sighed, a trace of a smile still on her lips. Maybe she should have washed the scarlet lipstick off. But with the admiring glances he kept giving her? No, she was glad she didn't.

"You do realise we are risking everything by taking this step?" She remained incredulous, even if the amusement was never fully gone from her face.

"If I happen to- well – to kiss you," the Doctor did _absolutely_ nothing to mask his excitement about what was to come – "Martha will think this much is a part of what you get paid for. My personal girl for the night," he eyed her smugly. "Is this what worries you?"

Rose rolled her eyes at him again. "I swear, I am going to slap you for this when we are alone," she hissed. Only her eyes gave away quite a different sentiment.

The Doctor gave her a wink. "Aren't there better things to do when alone in the candlelight?"

The girl's eyes widened. "Too much. Too soon."

He looked her clothes over with a smirk. "Or is it too _little_ too soon?"

"Shut up," she bit her lip, blushing.

"There. _Are_ you going to play the game?" _With me?_

Rose pretended to be thinking. "If this means you stop teasing me... yes. Just- shouldn't I put something more on first? In case someone finds this unacceptable? I think the TARDIS would-"

"No!"He stared at her, suddenly flabbergasted at his own outbreak. " _Why_ would you want to?"

Rose gave him her wide toothy grin, visibly appreciating his reaction. "Weren't you- I don't know – shocked, or something?"

" _Martha_ was. Not I. Besides, hadn't you said-"

The girl gave him a disbelieving look, but pushed it aside. She knew all she had to do was say no and his silly plan would be cancelled… But weren't they the stuff of legend? The more risk there was, the more fun. Besides, they had each other now. At this moment, Donna seemed to be on their side, as well.

"All right. So you're participating, too," the dark-haired companion noted tiredly. Why wouldn't she be, when, according to the girl herself, she was there to offer him _everything_? She refused to allow her mind linger on the possibilities.

"Yes. Is this okay with you?"

"Suppose," Martha shrugged, too tired to ignite the bothersome quarrel-like conversation. If the stupid little game meant she got to learn more about that woman, possibly things she would very likely regret knowing later… oh, well. Not that she was going to give her questions of t _hat_ kind, oh no. Absolutely not.

Rose rose up, grinning and coming to join them all in the room the TARDIS must have created just for such purposes. How much wrong could poor Martha do, even when playing _Truth or Dare_?

Martha Jones was not their only problem that night.

* * *

Some fifteen minutes into the game, Martha got to know the girl's name was Marion. "No last names," she said, taking a huge gulp from her glass without even being reminded this meant she had to do so.

"This is _disgusting_!" Rose grimaced. It was weird she had managed to avoid doing this up to that point… but anything was possible with just a bit of creativity… or so it seemed.

"Were you expecting for something strawberry-flavoured?" Martha asked, feeling the wish to consciously annoy this young girl returning.

"Ugh. Strawberries. Not the ones in Pete's London, thank you very much."

"Pete's?" Donna's curiosity was piqued.

"It's not my turn to answer," Rose shook her head dismissively. "Ask Martha."

"Fine. _Truth_ or _Dare_ , Martha?"

"Erm. _Truth_." She still knew next to nothing about the ginger, but being addressed by her was better than by the other one. Perhaps the Doctor's idea of making them play this was a fair one, after all.

"Let's see… What was the most memorable moment of your travels with the Doctor?"

Martha had no doubts about which one to choose. "The kiss, obviously!"

The Doctor threw an apologising glance Rose's way, but the harm was already done. She looked away.

"It was just a genetic transfer! An attempt to save a thousand people. Nothing more!" He hurried to assure Rose, who was still ignoring him.

"Whatever you say, Doctor. But he's a real expert, let me tell you!" Martha looked straight at Rose, who fought the wish to spit at her, no matter the consequences. Or was it the Doctor who deserved it more? Suddenly, another painful incident was brought back to her treacherous memory and Rose threw caution away.

"Knowing he chose to snog Madame de Pompadour rather than Dame Rose of the Powell Estate…"

The Doctor paled, not having expected this outbreak from the perfectly sober companion. "You- she," he corrected himself, somehow keeping the wish to show her just how much he regretted it all at bay, - "she was not supposed to know!"

"She was not, was she?" Rose rolled her eyes at him, freeing her annoyance for the first time that night. "What about your not-so-quiet boasting about having done it? Oh, wait, the said courtesan was also talking about it. With none other than me. Which wasn't necessary, really, as I-"

He, ignoring the two other women in the room, grabbed Rose by the arm and breathed at her inaudibly. "I thought you weren't drinking, love?"

"I sure as hell am!" She tried to push him away, but he kissed her instead. It was good she was completely sober. Even better that he was equally so.

"Have always wanted to feel what snogging someone senseless felt like," the Doctor explained, meeting the two uncomfortable faces and paying them no mind. It was of no importance, really. They were not going to remember this night, if all went according to plan. Rose was. This was all that mattered.

Rose blinked, catching her breath. She was not supposed to allow him to, in the first place! But it felt so good...

"Doctor. Why now? The game's not over yet," she managed.

"Exactly, Doctor!" Donna nodded at her words. "We can see just how eager you are to have the girl for yourself, but we are still here and playing, so are you! It's your turn, by the way."

"Damn it. Again? What did you mean about the strawberries in Pete's World? _Marion_?"

"They taste like pears." Rose let the fact he did not give her the obligatory choice between _Truth_ and _Dare_ pass.

"Oh. That's bad. Very bad. Wait, I thought you had nothing against pears?"

"I do now," she cut the answer short.

"My turn," Martha said, uncomfortable at merely witnessing the intimacy between the Doctor and the blonde. This had to be ended somehow. "Doctor. _Truth_ or _Dare_?"

" _Truth_ ," he spoke darkly.

"If you choose _Truth_ one more time, it will seriously madden all of us." He hadn't chosen _Dare_. Not once.

"Next time, Martha."

The companion rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Now that we're on the subject – what is your real name? Not the Doctor, not John Smith. Your real name?"

"You know I won't answer this," he shook his head and took a large sip of the unpleasantly looking and tasting liquid, the only difference from the two girls' drinks being every trace of alcohol gone from theirs – together with the good taste. Why had he chosen to drink this, not some sort of cider? _Oh, right. Pear-flavoured._

"Hello? Marion?" Donna addressed Rose amusedly.

"Ughm… yeah. Let's just- _Dare_ , since it seems everyone keeps avoiding possibly shaming themselves, eh?"

"Watch and learn, Doctor," Donna smirked. "I know just the thing! Kiss the one you want to!"

Rose breathed out. Someone _had_ to ask something like this. Why not the seemingly already tipsy ginger companion? She ignored the fact Donna dutifully answered every question and performed every dare, which meant she had the right to _not_ be drinking. She was surely going to ask the Doctor about this. For now, though…

"Is this even allowed?"

"You should have known the moment you said _Dare_ , Donna grinned at her, very satisfied with herself. Rose was surprised, if not shocked, when the Doctor allowed her in and made a show of snogging her breathless.

" _This_ is what I call proper kissing! Points to the Doctor," the ginger spoke with appreciation.

The next time Rose dared to risk saying _Dare_ to Donna was many, many (possibly three) shots of the unsupportable drink later. The two other girls seemed perfectly content and looked more excited than usual… but not drunk enough to finish playing.

"Sit on his knees." Rose – Marion gaped at her incredulously, as did Martha.

"You know you want to!"

"You're drunk, Donna!"

"That I am. Cheers! Go and do it, for God's sake!"

"What if I choose to drink instead?"

"Oh, no." The ginger must have forgotten drinking instead was also an option. But so was blackmail! "You know there is a small secret I might share?"

Rose blanched, suddenly not at all pleased about the effect alcohol had on some people.

"Come," the Doctor wiggled his eyebrows. "A game is a game."

"Particularly with the one you shag anyway," Martha grimaced disdainfully.

"Oh, yes!" He did not miss the chance to tease his dark-skinned companion, sucking in a breath as he felt Rose's bum - still barely covered-on his very-well covered crotch. Still, not well enough for him not to feel the immediate effect it had.

Rose was off him the next moment, but the effect lingered, taking the best efforts from him to keep his erection at bay. Rose smiled at him encouragingly, even when his physical pain of not letting it show was making his eyesight misty. " _Truth_ or _Dare_ , Martha?" the Doctor cleared his throat, knowing she kept avoiding the _Dare_ option just like he did and Donna was glaring at her equally for that.

" _Dare_."

This was new. "Say you're sorry," he spoke.

"Sorry. Wait a moment. Sorry for what, exactly? For insulting your call-girl, is that it? For that, I am _not_ sorry."

"Sure you aren't," Rose muttered.

"A whore is a what? A _thing_. Someone too lazy to look for a decent job."

The fair-haired human kept reminding herself Martha was not insulting _her_ , but the woman of her creation. However, all she could think of was spitting the spiteful woman in the face. Nevertheless, no matter how much struggle it might have required from her, she kept her outer composure.

The Doctor could not watch Rose's inner fight quietly any more. "I swear, had I known, I would not have invited her along!" His words were meant for Rose, who shrugged.

He felt responsible for having made her go through this, she knew. "And be dead soon without having anyone to take care of you? No way. Know what? You're lucky I am here to stay," she grinned. He buried his face in her hair, humming happily. "You _are_ here now. I need no-one else."

Before anyone could react, Rose was brutally torn away from the stunned Doctor.

Martha had a lot of things to say. "I have had enough. I don't care if you're his whore. To me, you're just a cheap slut, aiming for his good-meant attention! How often does he fuck you? Twice a year? Twice a month now? You sure as hell are good at keeping secrets, Doctor! Did your Rose know about this little detour of yours? Oh, wait. Apparently, she knew about _this_ , from what I could make out of the Madame de Pompadour thing. You were all involved in a threesome, am I right?"

Rose gasped, slapping Martha hard on impulse. Ignoring the quarelsome woman, Rose welcomed the Doctor's embrace. She knew what was coming. Knew keeping away from stress was the only thing that kept it at bay…

"Too much. Too much," she muttered, unsure if she should run away from the Doctor or cling to him.

Her eyes were glowing gold.

All the startled Time Lord could think of was that the girl beside him was starting to become someone else -and he knew just _who_ has made it happen.

There was no time to lose.

"Rose! Rose!" He shook her hard. "It's me, the Doctor! _Your_ Doctor!"

He glared at Martha murderously. "Get the bloody hell out of here!" Donna grabbed her hand and pulled her out with herself, slamming the door shut.

Just as she left, Rose breathed out, both relieved and frightened, her eye colour slowly evening back to her natural one. She was still on her feet - and in his arms.

"I am sorry. So sorry. I couldn't stop it," she whispered. "I-"

"Shhh. It doesn't matter now, love. At least we have got a lovely closure for our spectacle," the Doctor smiled, nothing but love shining in his eyes.

 


	9. Complications

**Previously…**

_Just as she left, Rose breathed out, her eye colour evening back to her natural one. She was still on her feet - and in his arms._

" _I am sorry. So sorry. I couldn't stop it," she whispered. "I-"_

" _Shhh. It doesn't matter now. At least we got a lovely closure for our spectacle," the Doctor smiled, love shining in his eyes._

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

**Complications**

A momentary trace of a smile crossed her face, albeit it almost felt unsuitable for her. "I still am sorry it turned out to be this way," Rose breathed, less than worried about his hands subconsciously resting on her lower back. "We could have waited at least until-"

"Rose. It's for the best, we both know it. This will teach Martha a very important lesson."

"Suppose," she agreed, more than willing to accept his view, yet not fully able to.

The Doctor could still see the pain in her eyes – no matter how successful she was at hiding it.

"You need to rest, Rose."

"No!" She objected. "I wouldn't be able to fall asleep anyway," Rose assured him. "Not after-"

"Please?" _Because you look absolutely devastated? Because I can't take seeing my Rose hurt? Because seeing you giving me_ that _smile makes me want to throw my defences away and do something I might regret later?_

He said none of this out loud.

"Please. I _need_ to know you're all right. _Safe_ and all right." If there was one thing the Doctor knew about Rose Tyler – she could be _very_ stubborn and persistent if she chose to.

Rose was surprised he was not putting her through countless medical tests yet. Has this been some new tactics of his?

Not that she minded.

"With the exact reason of getting me to sleep being-?"

There was a reason. The Doctor had to force himself to talk to Martha, first of all. Shout at her, even, if it happened to be absolutely necessary. Hurting his friend – his best friend – much more than that, really, he had to admit – was unforgivable.

"Well?" She bit her lip, unaware of the effect this small gesture was having on the Time Lord.

He gaped at her, incredulous, getting exactly _the_ impression she was trying to avoid. "Wait. It seems as if- Do _you_ want to get me to bed? For things other than-"

Rose inhaled sharply. "You know that's not- I'm not- we're not-"

"Not _together_. Of course."

 _God._ What was it she was doing wrong? "I have always thought we were," Rose said sadly, her voice small. "Sorry. Let's just-"

 _What?_ "No!" The Doctor suddenly felt like inwardly slapping himself. "We _are_. The fact I don't say it doesn't mean-"

The companion eyed him curiously, not hiding her relief. "If this makes you uncomfortable, we needn't-"

" _Everybody_ knows we are and belong together. Even Jackie has admitted it on several occasions," he smirked at her.

"She has," Rose agreed, her eyes clouding. As much as she hated to touch the subject so soon, the girl knew she _had_ to. "Do you think we could visit her someday? Just to tell her-"

The Doctor sighed, unable to hide a wince. He _had_ promised her… "Anything you want, Rose. Anything." Even if it meant getting slapped – or _kissed_ by her mother, which was even worse. He knew Jackie was the most important person for her. Knew this was very likely going to be the last time of the daughter meeting the mother. Unless the universes fixed themselves up to the point of not being sealed indefinitely. They both knew the only right way to fix it back was to seal the universes off completely again.

What did it matter now, when the one person who made his life complete was there with him?

Since when had he become such a silly romantic hero, anyway?

"Doctor?"

"Oh. Yes. Yes, we should. But we can only travel by human means. I can't risk-"

Rose wrapped her arms around him, not once thinking about the paper-thin garment she was dressed in. "Oh, Doctor. My Doctor-" her voice fell as she noticed the lack of response from him. He was holding his breath, and she knew _exactly_ why.

"Oh, God." She backed away from him. "I have never wanted to make you-"

"Uncomfortable?" _Aroused?_ He suggested, pulling her back to himself. "You never do, Rose Tyler." Saying her name out loud has somehow increased the intimacy between them. "We could- should just-"

"Return to your room? Is this why you're so tense?" Rose tried her best to keep the playful teasing out of her voice.

This was the best thing the Doctor's heard in a long time. The dim light was at least going to somehow cover some of the things he was feeling _uncomfortable_ about.

She smiled at the Doctor knowingly, glad the chamber was – thanks to the all-knowing TARDIS - just next door.

Seventeen seconds later they were once again surrounded by candlelight. Rose threw a glance to the bed, only half-expecting the TARDIS would have had pity on them and gave her something more to cover herself. The ship did no such thing. The girl sighed.

At least the Doctor was wearing more clothes. Rose had enough decency not to stare at his package. She really, _really_ did...

Luckily for the companion, the Doctor was too concerned with keeping Rose's attention away from his not such a little _problem_ to comment on hers.

Everything could be seen through the thin texture of her nightie now. Every single detail. Her almost painfully erect nipples, her flushed skin – it was not even hot enough for her to be sweating so, for God's sake! Rose honestly hoped the wet tingle between her legs was a temporary thing, or at least something unnoticeable. _So far_. The fine fabric was not going to prevent her bodily liquids from seeping through for long. Why did the Doctor have to be so bloody _sexy_?

"Turning you on, am I?" he spoke slowly, his voice low. Without having noticed it, her bright eyes were fixed on his pulsating erection… Had been for some time, apparently. Rose blushed.

"Don't worry. We knew this was coming. All those years ago, we did," he breathed, not asking for permission but attacking her bright red lips instead. Rose clung to him as if he were her life boat, snogging him for all he was worth. Maybe this would be enough.

It wasn't.

"Rose," he breathed into her mouth, allowing her to back away from him slightly. "We need to- to talk first."

This time, they were too far gone for it to kill the mood completely. "Yeah?" she breathed.

"Coupling-er-sexual activities without forming a bond first is- more or less- _Damn it!_ The Doctor was out of suitable words.

Rose was there to help, finding an approximate equivalent of it at once. "We must get married first, or else it will count as-" The girl blanched, unwilling to ever utter the word again. _Prostitution._

"We could either stop or-" The Doctor knew he had no right to force her to take this step, one so important in his home planet. Gone now. He gulped.

"Or we could proceed," Rose smiled at him. "You know you already have all of me, deep down."

He blinked, as if she were talking in a language he could not understand.

* * *

Donna was looking as if she were going to explode with rage the moment they closed themselves in the nearest reachable room that seemingly by accident happened to be hers. "This is it, Martha! Jones, was it? Do you at least understand- no, of course you don't- you have just-"

"Calm down. Let's just settle it nicely." Martha seemed unnaturally unmoved all of a sudden. Seemingly nowhere as tipsy, too. "The woman is the famous Rose. Needless to say, she was having us both on with the 'call-girl' nonsense. But why?"

"She was having _you_ on."

"Yeah? Why not you?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Because I have never addressed her using any of those atrocious epithets. You should go and... Study some more instead."

"Are you kicking me out of your room?"

"No," she grimaced. "Not everyone is as rude in here. If you want to have a chat about trivial things or me to ask you questions from the material you have brought here with you – go on." There was no way Donna was going to interrupt whatever Rose and the Doctor were into. Talking about it was allowed, though.

She hiccupped, the alcohol still present in her system. "Sorry. Do you think they-"

"I can't even think clearly, you know." The delicious sickeningly sweet beverage with some alien title Jack would surely know – how was _he_ doing, anyway? – It was finally starting to work on her. "The drunken sex they must be having right now… no."

Donna broke down in tipsy giggles. "Yeah, we shouldn't discuss this."

"Absolutely. Do you think she's even human?"

"Who? Rose? Why wouldn't she be?"

"Just- have you seen the look in her eyes? Scared me to death."

"Must have been a trick, yeah?"

Luckily for them both, they have eventually decided this was the case.

* * *

The fair-haired companion sighed. "I am not the one to urge you." _Not someone faithful to these no-sex-before-marriage beliefs, either._

The Doctor stared at her. "I- I can't."

Rose Tyler was all he'd ever wanted to have for himself… in every way possible; yet now, when the possibility was in his grasp, he backed away.

"I understand," Rose assured him. "It was wrong of me to even-"

The girl did not count upon the fact he had learnt to see every smallest feeling in her over the years. Right now, she was hurt. Hurt because of the words Martha Jones had said. Hurt because she had been unable to control herself… But most of all-

"You have misunderstood me, Rose."

"Hm?" She was already beginning to work on burying her most secret wishes deep within her. Just as the girl used to all these years ago, when it – as she now believed – has been much easier to control.

Rose turned her eyes away from him.

"Misunderstood me so badly," the Doctor's lips were on hers again and all Rose wanted was for the kiss to never end.

It did, just for a moment long enough for the girl to notice they have somewhat moved to the other end of the room. Straight towards the bed. All Rose managed to do was smirk at the Doctor knowingly before resuming the kiss herself. This was the Doctor. He'd never-

Just when the human had assured herself they were _not_ getting intimate tonight, possibly not any time soon, she felt his quick fingers help her out of her nightie in less than two seconds. Her eyes widened.

" _Perfect_. You are perfect, my Rose."

"And _naked_ , she rolled her eyes at him. "I'll just get under the covers. Might even sleep."

"Even if I keep you company, Rose Tyler?"

"Keep me company all you wish, Doctor. Just-" _Get your clothes off first,_ the girl's treacherous mind suggested.

The Time Lord only spent several moments in undressing himself completely.

Rose could not control a gasp.

"All yours," he winked at her. "Are you willing to form a bond with me? Here and now?"

She nodded at the Doctor eagerly, not completely realising the situation up until she felt his mind caress hers tenderly. As if the fact they wore nothing were not complicating things enough.

Rose understood they weren't even touching. Her eyes, darker than usual, grew even wider, bringing a grin to the Doctor's face.

 _It's Bad Wolf in you, my love. The TARDIS. No physical contact is necessary for us_ , he spoke in her mind softly.

Terrified, she grabbed his hand. Everything became somewhat clearer, as if enlightened by the morning sun. _Touching makes things even better_ , he smiled, aware he would eventually need to share his darkest secrets with her... If they were to proceed. Rose pulled back, startling him. _Maybe not?_

She hurried to explain herself, never letting go of his hand. "I am cold, naked, about to get married – or bonded, whatever you call it – and as human as I could get. This is-"

"Too much. I understand, Rose. We could always-" He was ready to object to the _human_ part, but kept it to himself. She had already gone through too much for one day.

"No. We should just do it now." _We're both conveniently naked, anyway._ "Unless-"

"You _do_ know how I feel about you, Rose? Yes?" the Doctor spoke uncertainly.

"Yes."

"Multiply that a thousand times." _A billion._

"Okay." With that, they lost themselves in each other completely. Was it on the bed? Against the door to the en suite? On the floor?

They would not have been able to say for sure. There were more important things to do.

* * *

It was impossible to say how much time has passed, not even for the Doctor, without concentrating on it fully. Two hours? Ten? Twelve? All he could concentrate on was Rose lying beside him. They _have_ found a way to the bed after all. He smirked.

Rose's brown eyes opened and he greeted the Doctor with a nod, going straight to things that worried her.

"Is it okay if I don't talk to Martha for several days? Don't think I could without- Without losing myself again." She exhaled heavily.

The Doctor eyed her searchingly, then gave the companion a mischievous smirk. "Mind if I keep you company?"

She grinned.

"In not talking to her?"

"In ignoring her completely, more likely. _Nobody_ has the right to insult you. Not you, not someone as important to me, not ever."

"You'd seemed pretty unaffected the first few times," she reminded, shrugging.

The Time Lord sucked in a breath, almost forgetting himself. "Wasn't this what you were expecting of me, Rose?"

"Yes." _But it hurt just the same._

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Rose gave him a tongue-touched smirk, uttering his Gallifreyan name. Slowly, as if she were afraid to miss a syllable or a letter.

This has made them delay their plans for another forty-five minutes.

* * *

"Will we get out of this room any time soon?"

"Hopefully not," she licked her lower lip. "Unless we are given something to wear."

"Ask her. Ask her nicely," the Doctor suggested. "I'll go get you your favourite tea," he smiled, catching the blue pyjama trousers the ship had thrown at him.


	10. Impossible Things

**Previously…**

" _Ask her. Ask her nicely," the Doctor suggested. "I'll go get you your favourite tea," he smiled, catching the blue pyjama trousers the ship had thrown at him._

* * *

**Essentially Together**

**Chapter Ten**

**Impossible Things**

_You know this is something that only fits when Rose and I are alone, right?_ The Doctor rolled his eyes at the all-knowing vessel, quick to find his usual pinstriped ensemble – why bother looking for it in the wardrobe-room when the TARDIS has been thoughtful enough to place several of these nearby?

Rose giggled. "I suppose you don't need to shower, because I'm going to. I'll be quick, I promise!" she hurried to add, knowing just how much trouble spending too much time in a bathroom – in the tiny flat of theirs, for one thing – could cause. It did not matter if she were at Mum's, at Mickey's or even at Jimmy's…

"Take all the time you need, my darling Rose," the Doctor was quick to reply, sensing her uneasiness, even though she did not bother leaving the warmth of the bed just yet, watching him with a small smile on her face, a smile contradicted by the sad look in her eyes.

"If you want me to stay with you instead, just say a word, my Rose."

"Oh-"

The girl bit her lip, as if having bit off an important sentence. "Go, Doctor. I'll just make myself get up and get to the shower. We'll think of something afterwards, right?"

"When don't we, love?" he smiled. They had to talk about many things… But not necessarily right away.

"Perhaps I should throw a glance at Donna and Martha, to see how they're doing?" The Gallifreyan suggested.

"Sure. Just don't make me-"

"I remember, love." He remembered talking to his dark-skinned companion was something he'd promised not to do… The said promise fell to shreds as soon as their voices reached him.

"I still think this Rose is somehow different," Martha could not let go of the subject easily.

Donna rolled her eyes. The lengthy sleep seemed to have put the hangover at bay. Or perhaps it was the TARDIS. "It's _his_ Rose," she corrected. "Why can't we discuss something else? She's here, they are so happy… And I can't help but am happy for them."

"But this girl… She can't be human, I am sure of it! Her eyes… The way the ship is on her side… The Doctor doesn't just fall for humans, right?"

The ginger turned her eyes upwards. "Why had I accepted you in my room, in the first place?"

The familiar voice startled them. "How dare you even assume Rose isn't human, Martha?" the Doctor was strangely composed, considering the complicated situation.

"I thought-"

"Keep your thoughts to yourself. You have _hurt_ her. This alone requires-"

"I might try to apologise, sure, but she wouldn't hear me! Wouldn't listen!"

" _Not sorry_ , remember?" He waved at the approaching Donna, suddenly seemingly forgetting Martha Jones was even here. "Hey."

"Hello, Spaceman! How are things?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "Still trying to make sure-" The Doctor gulped. "Anyway- She's-"

"Hey, now! I've caused your Rose no physical harm!" Martha could not ignore the conversation.

"Just your luck you're unscathed, Martha," he shrugged at the dark-haired girl. "Just your luck she's kind, peaceful- human." The Time Lord turned away from Martha Jones. He was not supposed to be talking to her at all. Was no longer sure about his Rose being fully human, either… But this required some serious consideration the Doctor could not allow himself to ponder on. Not when the only thing he wanted to be sure of was that nobody was ever going to intentionally harm Rose again. Sadly, Martha did not seem like someone to be trusted on this. Not yet.

_Doctor!_

He froze, not completely used to the fact his one and only bond-mate, his one and only Rose Marion Tyler was calling him with the unmistakable feeling of dread in her voice. Voice only he could hear.

Luckily, his two female companions had long stopped questioning his alien behaviour. The Doctor breathed in, heading straight to his room without explaining anything, only earning a curious glance from the redhead.

Martha was nowhere to be seen… And he believed to have known just where the girl had gone to.

* * *

The moment Martha entered, Rose was still in bed, waiting for the Doctor to return to her. Still conveniently wrapped in bed sheets, she was secretly planning to take a shower only right after her morning tea promised to her. The one only her Time Lord knew how to prepare properly… Assuming the Doctor did not have other plans, she smiled. Her peaceful smile has changed into a blank expression the moment she saw the other girl.

After having sent the Doctor a mental cry for help – this was much too soon for her to deal with the girl on her own, not with Bad Wolf so brutally provoked and still almost tangible within her.

Rose did not think twice, getting up and making her way to the en-suite, not once meeting Martha's eyes. So what if she was naked. Martha did not exist for her. Not today. Not until she could be sure she was able to fully control her wild Wolf within.

The Tyler girl turned on the water, glad the running water blocked the majority of sounds outside, even if not being able to hear everything was making her somewhat uneasy.

* * *

"What are _you_ doing here?" The Doctor hissed at the still stunned Martha, almost runing into his – their – room the TARDIS did not bother making look less like a war-zone after last night. She never had the chance, with both or one of them still present in the chamber. Placing two cups of tea on the floor – he had no time to think of a more fitting place – the Time Lord almost growled at the companion. "I suggest you get out of here immediately, Martha Jones. This is our room, and I don't remember giving you the permission to-"

"She pretended to not have seen me, anyway."

"Oh, my. I wonder just how many signs of inhumanity you have noticed on her," he was growing more and more irritated by the second.

"Out. Out," the Doctor has forced her out of the messy room, only throwing a self-explicatory glare at her before returning to the room and sonic-locking the door, just in case.

* * *

_Martha's left_ , the Doctor's mental nudge has made Rose sigh in relief. _Will be with you in a minute._ The next request made the Doctor smile smugly. He had an idea the TARDIS would offer her something barely covering her body again... But the shocked expression on his face after having seen the garment provided was still there when Rose came out.

"Hello," she blinked, a nearly blinding smile on her face.

" _This_ is what she wants you wear, love."

Rose eyed the seemingly very exquisite… And _very_ red garment curiously. A dress. _What's up with you and red, old girl?_ The ship sent her a sound of barely detectable annoyance. The companion was shocked to find everything waiting for her - even fitting underwear.

"When I have asked her for something suitable... Isn't this just too much?" Rose peered at the Doctor worriedly.

"Not with this, no," her Time Lord seemed to have found his tongue just after a couple of minutes. "Do you need any help in putting this on?"

_Seriously?_ "I can do that on my own, you know that," the fair-haired companion smirked, hurrying to put on the clothes closest to her bare skin in record time. He smiled at her sadly. _Good job._

_Okay…_ "Judging from the distant look in your eyes, Doctor - does this – does this mean something to you?"

The Gallifreyan cleared his throat. "It's a traditional Gallifreyan… A Time Lady wedding dress," he has finally managed to say.

_What?_ "But I'm not a Time Lady! Maybe she should have picked something else?"

"No."

"But I am human! One heart!" Rose panicked. This meant nothing good.

"What's happening to me? Am I becoming someone else or-" _Doctor?!_

He seemed just as puzzled and terrified as his young lover was, which has only added up to Rose's distress.

"I don't know!"

His admission has only deepened her feeling of dread.

The Doctor has only understood the effect his words might have had when she covered her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry, so sorry about this, my Rose! I know as little about this as you do, trust me!"

"Time to visit the infirmary?" She suggested in a small voice. It was clear she was terrified, yet determined.

"Time to help you with your dress first," the Doctor smiled at her encouragingly.

The next ten minutes were spent in working on putting the dress on properly, trying not to get lost in its complicated constructions of ties and laces and most often failing.

"Fine. We should stop laughing about silly things and concentrate, right, Rose?"

"Yeah." Rose sighed heavily, wiping every last trace of amusement off his face.

It only took a minute to finish the work then.

"Infirmary?" The Londoner rushed him, not even caring to look at a mirror.

"Rose! Whatever is happening to you, I have sworn to protect you forever. Our bond is more important than anything. Anywhere. Nobody practices it any more - but no matter the species or the universe they know the two of us are inseparable. It's engraved in their subconscious."

The girl could not help but grin. "So the Time Lords were what, gods of the universe?"

"No," the Doctor giggled darkly. "Some of us used to think we were." _Not any more._

He met the sad look she gave him. "Rose. I'm sorry! I should never-"

"Hush, _husband_. Better tell me… Will removing the dress take as much time?" She grimaced.

"Don't worry. Getting this off is much easier," he assured her with a smirk.

"Ready to face the truth, love?"

_Are you?_ Rose bit her lip. She closed her eyes, covered her ears and allowed him to take her to the dreaded cold room, filled with alien medical equipment. _Look at me, Rose. The girl needs to scan you, perhaps take your blood sample for truer results-_ " She was trembling. "Are you afraid?"

The girl rolled her eyes at him. _Please, TARDIS. Do it now._

The next thing she felt was a sharp needle cutting her finger. The only reason the old girl did not choose a vein must have been the fact the dress was long-sleeved... What did it matter now?

The old girl wasted no time. The results were shining on the screen in no more than two minutes.

Rose buried her face in his chest. " _You_ read it."

"You know the moment I read it you will know it, too?"

"Not if I move away from you, yes?"

"You might escape it for one-tenth of a second," he agreed, ready to turn around and be the first to face her _diagnosis_.

Rose moved away just to sense his shock and give in to curiosity at once.

Both Martha and Donna could hear her heart-breaking reaction.

"Why?!"

* * *

_'Rose Marion Tyler._

_Age: unknown._

_Home planet: Earth._

_Species: Time Lady.'_

"The TARDIS isn't well. She must be mistaken! One heart, see?!"

Rose was starting to panic. Instead of suggesting it, the Doctor checked the right side quietly, then placed her hand on his.

She screamed.

* * *

The two companions stared at each other.

"He refuses to do something for her?" Martha guessed.

Donna shook her head. "Let's leave it." Not wanting to anger her new acquaintance, the dark-skinned girl did just that.

Rose clung to the Doctor for support. After a long time in his embrace, many soft and slow soothing kisses and words Rose was feeling utterly devastated.

"What am I going to do? What am I going to say to Mum?!"

"We will deal with this. Together," he assured her. "Jackie will need to tell everyone you have got married to a handsome and sexy, very, very sexy weirdo from... South America? New Zealand? Australia, perhaps?"

"Silly. They mostly speak Spanish in South America." Rose's lips curled up, just a bit.

"Just checking," the Doctor smiled at her.

 


	11. The Inevitable

**Previously...**

" _We will deal with this. Together," he assured her. "Jackie will need to tell everyone you have got married to a handsome and sexy, very, very sexy weirdo from... South America? New Zealand? Australia, perhaps?"_

" _Silly. They mostly speak Spanish in South America." Rose's lips curled up, just a bit._

" _Just checking," the Doctor smiled at her._

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Inevitable**

Rose seemed unable to grasp the idea fully just yet. "Doctor…" _My Doctor_. "What's going to happen now? To me, to us?"

The Gallifreyan understood her unease. Such a sudden change it one's nature could have driven anyone crazy... But not Rose. She was shocked, terrified… But she was strong and courageous. If anyone _could_ get over it, could accept things as they were – Rose Tyler was one of those people.

"Our bond… Our nature… It protects us. Both of us. From things no human would survive." _You will learn to love it. I promise._

Rose did not doubt it. "When- How did this happen? I swear I didn't- Can't have done any-"

"Shh, love. It's all right. Have you visited a doctor recently?"

"No."

"Not one?"

Rose shook her head. "Should I have got worried about not being ill – not a cold, no running nose, nothing – for more than four years?"

"Of course not, love. But there are many humans who don't visit doctors for years."

"Yes, but-"

The Doctor gave her a warm look. _Come here, Rose._

She did no such thing. "No! No! I can't just accept this. This can't simply have happened all of a sudden… I'd like to know-"

Stubborn as ever, his Rose.

"Well… If this worries you so… We could always try and reverse the process," the Time Lord shrugged, his voice emotionless.

 _What? No!_ Her reaction was immediate.

"Gotcha!" Oh, good old bluffing. "See? You'd rather we didn't."

Rose nodded swiftly, remembering another shock of such an enormity – even if the said attempt was successful - would undoubtedly awaken Bad Wolf inside her again… The part of her only her mother has known of and had created a barely-credible story of her daughter needing this particular kind of contact lenses... If Jackie knew the changes were not limited to her eyes changing colour…

 _Mum!_ "What is Mum going to say?"

"We should just go and ask her, Rose," he smirked.

"Is this wise?" She could remember they had wasted the remainder of the TARDIS strength by travelling back from Africa to-

"Where are we, anyway?"

"In the Vortex, naturally."

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "Naturally," she mimicked.

"We could set the TARDIS coordinates to where she'd been last. It shouldn't waste a lot of her energy."

The girl knew exactly what place it was going to be. Only this once, she would not be afraid. Might even spend some moments appreciating the incredible sight. Rose bit her lower lip, welcoming his proffered hand in hers without a second thought.

"What about Martha and her exam, though? Wouldn't it put it the ship's full recovery even further off?"

"Nope. The moment the TARDIS is fully herself again, she should be able to transport Martha straight to her exam. In the correct universe, that is."

 _The one with no zeppelins. No pear-flavoured strawberries._ Rose sighed heavily, remembering her home universe and getting nostalgic. Of course, she knew appearing in it all of a sudden would very likely cause trouble… But this was something to be considered much, much later.

"Might I know why you do care so much, love?" She had every right to be angry at his dark-haired once-companion. _He_ was. All the Doctor could feel coming from Rose at that moment was sadness whenever she thought of her.

Rose took a deep breath. "Martha's worked so hard to have what she has now. A diploma is the thing she deserves."

"No, that's not exactly what you mean, Rose Tyler."

 _Shut up, Time Lord._ Of course, with the new connection between them – he must have known no insult could have hurt her more than Martha having called her all those atrocious epithets. It has all been a play! A game! Even if Martha has believed in it –

The girl exhaled. "My love. My Rose! I'm sorry, but Martha is only a human."

This has earned the Doctor a glare. " _I_ have been only a human. Less than a day ago, Doctor!" The Time Lord wrapped his arms around Rose before she allowed some treacherous tears run down her face. Just like a human woman would.

She averted her eyes, ashamed of this outbreak. "As a Time Lady… I am supposed to remain strong, yes?"

"Rose. Every species is allowed to have their joys and sorrows. Including Time Lords. We have mastered the art of pretending very well, that's all," the Doctor said, never letting go of her.

"Should I be capable of this, too?" Rose shrugged.

He smirked at her. "Oh, but you _are_!"

Rose giggled. "Same species," she shrugged. "I think our trip to London is going to take a while. Are you ready for this?"

"As long as you are, love."

"Mum must think I have found something better to do than stay with her."

"Jackie? Is she used to not seeing you for several days without an explanation?"

"After not having seen me for a year?" She smiled. "Mum knows I am _always_ going to return to her."

"Of course she does. What do you think we should get her? As a compensation for-"

"For you having stolen me from her? You do realise she can have anything she chooses now? She even has a husband and little Tony," Rose smiled, remembering her little brother.

" _A_ husband. Don't you and Pete get along?"

"We do get along all right, but I barely ever see him. Mum says he's very busy, even under such weather," she grimaced.

"You should not worry about this. All we must do now is find Donna or Martha- yes, I will be the one talking," he assured Rose. "They should be in Donna's room still." The Doctor let go of Rose unwillingly, his hand still in hers.

"My darling."

Donna was the first to meet them. Her eyes widened at seeing Rose's dress. She did not know where or how… But she _knew_ what this was. A _wedding_ dress. "What have you _done_?"

Rose shrugged, suddenly feeling she needed to get away, even if Donna was not the one causing her to get all tense and Martha was not with them.

"I'm asking the Doctor," the ginger clarified, seeing the sudden change in Rose's posture. Her discomfort was almost shining through.

"Lovely dress, by the way," she smiled. "Am I correct to assume this has some particular meaning?" _Particular meaning._ She wondered why this was the only idea in her mind when seeing the garment.

Rose has hurried to excuse herself then, unwilling to take part in explaining something that required no explanations. _I'm sorry. You'll know where to find me, Doctor._

He understood she needed to take a breath from it all and nodded at her, watching the recent Time Lady disappear in the depths of the TARDIS. Donna was watching her curiously. "You can't have just allowed your bride to get away like this!

The Doctor stared at her.

"Or am I mistaken? She is yours… Your wife? That's the impression I'd got-"

"Yes."

"One gets to learn all sorts of interesting things about the two of you, seriously," Donna giggled. "Where has _she_ gone to?"

"Away. It's simply too much for her, I suppose."

"Shouldn't you be taking care of her?" Donna wondered.

"I would know if she needed me. Right now, Rose needs to be alone." The Doctor hoped it would not last long, wondering if he should have informed his bond-mate about the effect it would undoubtedly have on them both if she was gone for unjustifiably long, say, five hours… The freshly created bond has had its own rules one was supposed to follow… But the Time Lord has been too excited to even consider telling Rose about it. After all, she was supposed to remain nearby him at all times.

He's tried to find a trace of her on the ship… Only to meet a startled look on her face a short while later.

" _What_ is it?"

The Doctor looked at her apologetically. "I wasn't going to call you to me so soon, Rose! I'm sorry! Might have tried too hard to- well- To find you-"

The girl giggled at him. "Just ask me next time." _I'm always here, you know._ "I'm heading back to my old room," she explained to the redhead, who'd been mutely following the strange conversation, not fully sure if she wanted to know the details. "He knows where to find me."

Donna has found her tongue then. "What's up with the two of you? Don't you want to spend every second with each other, newly-weds that you are?"

Rose smirked at both the Time Lord and the woman. _It does work!_ "I'm surely allowed to pack something for a visit to Mum's, right?"

Donna blinked. "You don't mean you are going alone?" She was ready to believe in anything at this point.

The Time Lady rolled her eyes at the confused companion, giggling. "Now that, _that_ would be silly!"

"I agree, Donna. I'm sure Jackie would be extremely pleased to learn she is a mother-in-law!" _She's going to kill me. Slowly and painfully._

Rose chortled. _We'll see about that._ She addressed the fiery woman instead. "Try to keep him from doing this to me again, could you?" With that, she left for her old room, a smile on her face.

Before Donna and the Doctor could begin some sort of a conversation, Martha Jones waved at them. "Has any of you seen Rose?"

The Doctor shook his head at the companion, determined not to tell her anything. "Why would you need her?"

Martha mused, uncomfortable. "It's just- I haven't seen her since morning. This isn't natural, yeah?"

"Since the morning you'd seen her in the room you'd entered without as much as knocking first. It's only understandable she wouldn't want to meet you… After _that other_ incident," he glared at Martha murderously.

"All I want is to apologise," Martha said. "We can't live in this tension forever!"

The Doctor shook his head. "Isn't it a bit too late for that?"

Martha realised there was no way for her to make the Doctor see reason. "I _can_ wait. See you later," she hurried back to her room, the one the TARDIS had unlocked for her before the unpleasant _Rose_ adventure followed.

* * *

 

The ginger wasn't pleased. The Spaceman was _better_ than that. 'You can't be mad at her forever!" Donna rolled her eyes at the Doctor. "Even Rose-" The redhead believed Rose was not someone to keep her anger inside for long. She looked like someone unable to stay angry for long, anyway.

"Rose is kind. She is quick to forgive, no matter the depth of the insult. But I can't."

"Why, exactly?"

"What does it matter to you?"

The Doctor realised this wouldn't work on the fiery human at the roll of her eyes. "She has _hurt_ her," he repeated. "Has once again reminded me why I did what I had to do."

"Can't say I understand you," Donna eyed him questioningly. "Or do you mean the wedding?" The very unexpected, very hurried, very _alien_ kind of wedding, the woman noted in her head. At least their love was long-lasting and blindingly obvious. Good for them, the woman smirked to herself. But there were other matters to be addressed. She did not have to give him a question this time.

"Rose is- in human terms-" the Doctor felt like explaining himself. To _a human_. Whenever has he fallen so low?

"You love her. Not a good enough reason to be mad!" Donna chastised him.

" _Love_ her? You can't even start to imagine how much," the Doctor finished with an exhale.

The woman smiled at the Time Lord understandingly. "There, there. All will be fine, I'm certain of it. Go, find your loved one. Meet the family."

"Thank you, Donna! Before I forget- Take Martha to the infirmary some time. The results must still be there. She's going to be happy about it."

"Be happy about what?"

"She was right, you know." Not saying a word more, he left to fetch Rose Tyler for an adventure of a lifetime.

"By the way, it might be a long time until we return, Rose and I. Try not to get lost in Africa. Better keep close to the TARDIS, both of you!"

It took a while for Donna Noble to realise 'Africa' was not some sort of a complicated Time Lord linguistic device.

_That bloody Time Lord!_

All of a sudden, Jackie Tyler was not the only threat to his life.


	12. Not Exactly Home

**Previously…**

" _By the way, it might be a long time until we return, Rose and I. Try not to get lost in Africa. Better keep close to the TARDIS, both of you!"_

_It took a while for Donna Noble to realise 'Africa' was not some sort of a complicated Time Lord linguistic device._

Bloody Time Lord _! All of a sudden, Jackie Tyler was not the only threat to his life._

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**Not Exactly Home**

The laughter, hand-holding and hugs have lasted until Rose understood they had to find some means to travel to their intended destination. The parallel version of London – one she never liked, not even when it became obvious this was very likely going to remain her home universe for her entire life.

The Doctor frowned, having met a multi-layered expression on Rose's face. Money was not an issue. The dread on shining in her eyes was. _Whatever is the problem, my dear?_

They were in an airport. Possibly the best one there was in the entire continent, if the Doctor was being honest, having done his research way before any of _this_ happened. The Time Lady motioned towards the off trail.

The only thing present on it was a lone zeppelin.

She panicked. "We can't! I refuse to travel in that _thing_!"

"We won't," the Doctor giggled. "Don't trust zeppelins myself. Not for the long-haul flight like ours is going to be, Rose!"

She sighed in relief. "Right… Don't you think people will be staring at us, travelling so far with only carry on luggage?"

_They will be staring at us all right, love, but for an entirely different reason._

Rose shrugged, knowing what the Time Lord was having in mind. _Newly-weds, okay. But why would anyone want to travel to_ London _for a honeymoon?_

 _Family?_ He smirked at her, leading the girl through the check in.

Her eyes grew wide. _First class? Seriously? I thought economy would be more your thing._

 _Anything for you, love,_ he smiled at Rose softly. _Besides, the torment of travelling like a_ human _can never be eased enough,_ he rolled his eyes.

This was more like the Time Lord she knew. _Yeah?_ She broke into giggles, no longer finding such remarks insulting.

Not everyone was amused by that. "Are you two boarding the plane or not?"

The blonde turned around and flashed a brilliant smile at the elderly human woman who'd addressed them. "We were just about to. Are you heading for London, too?" Rose was trying to be conversational.

The woman tried her best to ignore Rose's dress and what it has so apparently signified. "That _hole_? No."

The conversation was over then, as they hurried to get up onto the plane. The passengers were watching at the happy couple curiously, the bravest of them coming to greet them. The smile on Rose's face never faded completely. _Reminds me of Martha, that one._

_Why?_

"Lying to your face? We both know the elderly woman _adores_ London. Haven't you noticed?"

"And she's flying there. Yes," the Doctor breathed, the warmth of his exhale touching Rose's face. She could feel her body reacting wildly to the intimacy, accepting his hand in hers. This was neither the time nor the place, particularly with her senses sharp as never before.

The Time Lord could feel her discomfort. A change in subject was a must.

_What does this have to do with Martha?_

The girl sighed, relieved her husband was as determined not to address her distress as she was. Even if Martha was among her least favoured topics, not when the Doctor seemed to be as wary towards the dark-skinned human as she was. _She's not being honest. Hates me, for some reason._

He shrugged. _It can't be that bad._ He _hoped_ it wasn't.

 _Maybe,_ the Time Lady relented. She still preferred believing that Martha was only incredibly confused and upset about the exam.

* * *

"He has left us in bloody Africa!" Donna fumed. "Without a proper explanation, nothing!"

Martha rolled her eyes at the ginger. She was feeling strangely relieved, not risking facing the Doctor and his Rose. "Not the first time he does that. Not the last."

Donna decided not to delay addressing the seemingly important topic then. "There is a thing he's asked of me to show you – in the infirmary, I think." There had been just enough delays for Martha already.

"Yeah?"

"Said you were going to enjoy this."

Martha grinned, suddenly full of expectations.

Donna shrugged at her excitement. "Keep your hopes at bay, yeah? You seem kind of irrational for a medical student!"

Martha's excitement died away the second she saw the results. _Human_ Rose had been possible to defeat. To hurt, even if not intentionally. To make her break down, sometimes on intention. In theory, it has all been possible. Rose as a Time Lady? With the amorous Doctor by her side? _Not bloody likely._

"I _was_ right," she gulped. Why hasn't it made her feel good? Happy? Proud? Why hadn't it made _Rose_ happy, judging from her loud panicked reaction hours ago?

Donna only shook her head, incredulous. "Should have expected something like this. A human and a Time Lord just wouldn't do, I suppose," she smiled, looking far more pleased than Martha would have liked.

"All we can do now is wait for them to return," Donna shrugged. "There's not much else to spend time on. Unless you'd rather we went shopping?" _In Africa?_ They must have something worth looking at in the shops, at least!

The dark-skinned companion eyed her curiously, ignoring her suggestion. "Where have _they_ gone to?"

"To visit his mother-in-law," the ginger rolled her eyes at Martha's inability to hide her distaste.

"Which is _where_?" Not that she cared, not really. _Mother-in-law_ , though… It bore quite a different concept. Martha's face lost colour. "Are they- have they-"

Donna sighed, having realised she might have spilt too much information already. "I'm still not completely sure about any of this. What about you just ask them when they return?"

She knew it all right, having received the confirmation from the _husband_ himself… But Martha and the fiery human were not even close acquaintances yet. Who was she to give away those things so easily? The Doctor was her best mate, for god's sake. Nobody wished to face the wrath of a Time Lord! _Two of them,_ she corrected herself.

Martha exhaled. "Oh, God. That's one shock too many for this day," she shook her head, unable to stop the following words from escaping her lips. "What does Rose have that I don't? What has she done that I haven't?"

The ginger sighed heavily, suddenly understanding the Doctor's reasoning a bit more. "Oh, Martha…" Before she decided to lead the companion back to the room with all the photos – had the dark-haired girl paid more attention when there, she'd have known-

The TARDIS could not leave it, the wide screen in the medical bay suddenly showing something entirely different from the plain dry text. Martha was incredulous. "What is it she is showing us? A film? Thanks, dear… But we have the media room for this, no?"

The ship stayed persistently quiet. Donna made the other girl sit down, recognising the laughing figure instantly.

Martha rose up from the couch at once. "If she is about to show us Rose being happy with the Doctor – I won't be watching!" With that, she left the room – still remembering to close the door without a sound. If even the ship was against her – so be it!

The TARDIS gave away a pained sound, but kept the scenes from their life running on the screen.

"Don't be angry at Martha, old girl. She's young and foolish. I'm sure Rose thinks so too." She did not follow the dark-skinned woman, instead staying to watch what the ship had prepared for them.

* * *

Rose mused uncomfortably. "This feels like hours on this plane already," she explained to the Doctor with a small smile.

He smiled back at her. _With you having slept through the majority of the flight, yes._

She almost jumped up in surprise, having traced the newly-discovered time-sense in her mind. " _Eight_ hours?"

"Yep!"

"How is that even possible?"

The Doctor knew what she meant. "Your new nature hasn't fully kicked in yet, love. Besides, the previous day had been exhausting for you. Nothing to worry about!"

"What have you been doing all this time?"

"Oh, this and that. Found myself some new acquaintances!"

 _You did?_ Rose was sceptical.

 _Yeah. I'm sad to say half of them think I am out of my mind_ , he grimaced.

The Time Lady burst out laughing. _What were you expecting, Doctor?_

 _Not_ that _. Are you hungry?_ He changed the subject abruptly, this having only intensified Rose's fit of laughter.

"I am famished, as a matter of fact."

"As you should be, love," he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Rose rolled her eyes at him. "I'll just get the menu, yeah?"

This was not necessary, as the steward appeared at once with suggestions.

She grinned at the Doctor, fluttering her eyelashes at both him and the unacceptably handsome guy the Time Lord was looking daggers at. Rose noticed that and smirked. _Stop it. You know you are the only one for me, my Doctor!_ She grabbed his hand, sending him assuring vibes. He knew it without this addition, has _always_ known, but appreciated it all the same.

The steward soon lost all hope in attempting to make them see him through their incessant flirting and what seemed like some sort of mental communication. Foreigners.

He sighed and moved away. "What am I going to do with those two?' He addressed the amused passengers, some of whom had been following the scene quietly.

"The newly-weds? Give them anything you like, it's very likely they won't notice," the already-familiar elderly woman shrugged good-naturedly.

The woman was correct. Both Rose and the Doctor only saw each other, consuming the meal – as exquisite as the first-class flight could offer – without sparing an additional glance to it.

"An hour or so left until we land," the Time Lord muttered to his bond-mate.

"Okay. How did you like the meal we were given?"

"I can't say a lot about it. Looked at the price, paid without thinking twice- had _other_ things on my mind, you know, wifey!"

 _Same here, husband,_ she giggled.

"You know Jackie will very likely force us to eat _a lot_ of food when we get to your place?" he winced.

"That, Mum would. But we can always take a bus."

 _A bus?_ The wince became more pronounced. _Why not a taxi?_ The Doctor was surprised.

' _m not a rich person originally. Powell Estate, a tiny flat, remember? Taking a bus has long been the only means of transport we could afford, Mum and I, yeah?_

He still didn't get it. "Yes, but you are a rich woman _now_ , Rose! A taxi, if not a limo, is what you can allow yourself whenever you please!"

"We are taking a bus today," her tone allowed no objections.

The alien could see something was behind it. "If this is how you prefer it, of course, love!" Buses meant a lot of people. Barely any space. Barely any chance to avoid noisy – and _nosy_ – individuals. Barely any air left to breathe. But the excited grin on Rose's shining face was worth it.

The moment they were once again on the ground – the ground of parallel London – the wife sighed in relief. _Remember that woman we first met when boarding the plane? She's calling a taxi._

_Yes, so?_

Rose cleared her throat, whispering. "With the traffic jams at this time of day? Not a very good idea," she smiled.

He shrugged, incredulous. "Will taking a bus be any different for us, though?"

"It will possibly take even longer to get there than usual," the Time Lady clarified.

The Doctor was watching her curiously.

"What I mean, my brilliant Time Lord, is by the time we reach the Tyler mansion – ugh, this title – we would very likely be ready for an early supper at Mum's, yes?"

He kissed her soundly on the lips. "My brilliant, _brilliant_ Time Lady!"


	13. Almost

**Previously…**

" _What I mean, my brilliant Time Lord, is by the time we reach the Tyler mansion – ugh, this title – we would very likely be ready for an early supper at Mum's, yes?"_

 _He kissed her soundly on the lips. "My brilliant,_ brilliant _Time Lady!"_

* * *

**Essentially Together**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Almost**

Rose smirked at the Doctor. "I hope you are ready for what is waiting for us?"

"For your mother? Not in a million years!"

_Not that. Look around and flash a smile for the cameras!_

Luckily, the Time Lord did just that, his reflexes and reaction way superior than any human's. The photos taken of them both were likely to be on every cover of every gossip magazine there was in the United Kingdom.

The Doctor fought the wish to grimace, quickly leading Rose away from anything resembling a camera or a person carrying it. _Why haven't you warned me_ this _could happen? How famous are you in this version of London, exactly?_

_Mum is. Pete is. I'm not._

"But they _were_ taking photos of us?" He eyed her curiously.

"Look! There's the bus we need!" She grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him with her, quick to get the required sum of money for the tickets from the Time Lord's jacket pocket and pay for them before the driver could even begin to identify her. Rose's excitement has never stopped to amaze the alien.

 _Up, up, up!_ The Time Lady got them into the least-noticeable, apparently the darkest place on the second floor… But it _was_ the second floor!

"What was all of this about, my dearest, sweetest Rose?" The Doctor's voice was suddenly sickeningly sweet. He could be sweet and tender, usually was with her… But this wasn't it.

She rolled her eyes at him, her response no less sugary. "Oh, my sugar, my honeybee. You know. Famous parents."

At this moment, they were both laughing hysterically… But were equally on alert about the sudden amount of attention they've received. _Let's get off this thing_?

Without thinking twice, they were out of the bus.

 _What now? The Tyler house is still far away,_ Rose noted.

"And you can't run in this dress," he smirked at her.

The Time Lady eyed him curiously. "You know I can. But we've been noticed anyway, so-"

He understood. _Let's turn on the flame, yes?_ This was only temporary. Rumours could _not_ travel across universes.

She smiled at him smugly, accepting his _very_ successful attempt to sweep her off her feet merely by performing several exceptional tricks with his tongue in her mouth. The sounds of cameras clicking around them were of no importance.

 _Could you do some of this this on_ other _parts of my body, Doctor?_

The Doctor's eyes widened in admiration. _This and so much more, Rose. But some privacy would be required._

"Naturally," she smirked, no longer sure a bus was the best choice. "Do you think we could still catch a taxi?" The traffic seemed to be just as heavy as before, but all the girl wanted was to have the Gallifreyan close to her. At all times.

"With you being so incredibly, shamelessly attractive? They should stop whenever you move a finger!"

Rose looked at him questioningly. _Attractive?_ Just _attractive?_

The Doctor looked her over. You're right. You are unbelievably sexy. _Mind-numbingly-_ he used a word from his native language strong enough to make her gape – _that, and very, very sexy._ My _Rose._

Luckily, a taxi cab stopped in front of them at that moment. "If you could just make the drive really long, we would appreciate it."

"This would cost you a lot of money," the driver spoke nonchalantly. "Even more so if you want to proceed with your-"

"No, no! Just driving around would do," the Doctor handed him a sum of money which was much more than what driving to the Tyler mansion and back seven times would have cost. For this amount of money, though… They could do _whatever_ they chose to.

"How long until I'll need to let you out at the estate, Miss Rose? Or is it Madam?"

The Doctor sighed, not surprised. Some things were just blindingly obvious to people used to meeting so many different people.

"Madam Rose," he confirmed the driver's guesses with a look that left no space for doubt in his words.

Rose smirked. "Make it an hour and a half, yes? Keeping this secret goes without saying, I hope?"

Nobody risked getting into trouble with a Tyler. It could have cost them _a lot_ of money, in the first place. Or a job. No matter how sweet and innocent Rose's smile seemed, she was just as powerful as her mother. Jackie Tyler was not someone to toy with. She could do almost anything. How has she not burnt down every publishing house writing and spreading dirty rumours – never once justified - about her barely-ever-seen beautiful daughter was beyond him.

The unsuspecting girl smiled at the man, who nodded, putting the shields up without asking. If they were _not_ going to do what he was assured they would – them making love was the least he was expecting - some time during this journey, he was determined to question a lot of things in this universe anew.

Contrary to the driver's imaginings, their minds were filled with things which were way plainer in nature. We _will be hungry enough by this time_ , Rose explained her reasoning concerning the lengthy journey to the Doctor.

Oh. That was surprising. How could she _think o_ f something so trivial?

 _All I'm hungry for is you_ , the Doctor admitted.

The Time Lady sent him a tongue-touched grin, whispering the words. "You know we can't."

"Not even in a parallel universe?" He pretended to be hurt.

"Mn- nope. My Mum is _only_ in this parallel universe. Do you think she'll enjoy reading about us shagging in- in-"

"Her _Time Lady_ daughter shagging a _Time Lord_ she's married to, anyway!" _Sounds fair to me._

Rose sighed, her hand finding his without one conscious thought. _I love you. I need you. I want you more than you could imagine,_ Time Lord.

This was not enough. The Time Lady exhaled. "The answer is _no_. Not here, not now. And not in this _bloody_ parallel universe!"

This was new. Her anger, her confusion… All directed at him, or so it seemed to the Doctor. Rose still needed to get used to a lot of things. Her seeing, hearing, taste buds having improved was completely natural. "How are you coping, my love?"

 _With feeling the Earth spinning under my feet_? _With feeling_ you _in my head? Or – S_ he returned to something much simpler and just as recent – _with Martha?_

The Doctor could not take this lightly. Could not take _anything_ causing pain to his bond-mate lightly. His lips found hers in less than a moment, the sensation of utter completion surprising her anew. _Forget about her. She's away. Out of reach._

Together with the incomparable feeling of indescribable delight – _perfection_ , if he was being honest – another thing seeped through her still carefully upkept shields. The Time Lord knew just what it was. Soon, only kissing and being kissed just as eagerly by her was not nearly enough.

* * *

 

Luckily, the driver cleared his throat just then. "I think the said time has just about passed… We are here. At the Tyler mansion, Madam… Sir." He did not think twice about ascribing him that title. "This is far as I am allowed to go. Hope you have enjoyed your trip, Miss- Madam Rose, he corrected himself at the look the mysterious man gave him. The driver was gone as soon as he had appeared. Safe from the Tyler wrath… And apparently much richer.

Rose sighed, apparently used to this. The Doctor averted his eyes. This was worse than he'd expected. Some people had no understanding of when to stop spending money… At least Jackie Tyler has had everything she'd ever wished for and more. Everything but-

* * *

 

"Rose?" The mother has appeared seemingly out of nowhere, a relieved smile on her face. "Was just about to start looking for you! It's not like you to leave without saying goodbye, who knows what-" Rose said nothing, waiting for the understanding to finally hit.

"No. You can't have-" Jackie gaped, blinking incredulously at her child. "Can't have done this for me! My first, my oldest baby! My only girl!"

Rose was watching her mother in silence, sincere apology in her burning eyes. There was no use in trying to make Mum hear her when she was in _that_ state.

 _Do you need my help?_ The Doctor wasn't trying to hide his amusement from Rose, standing just far enough not to be noticed – but close enough to have witnessed everything.

The Time Lady sent him a mental glare. _Not just yet. I need to talk to her. She's my_ Mum _!_

The alien sent his darling some encouraging thoughts and could not back away a smile in having received similar ones from her.

Jackie Tyler has eventually grown tired of hastily throwing rhetorical questions at her – and at herself – and grew menacingly still.

"Could you at least tell me _why_? Rose?"

 _As always, Jackie's the one with the wrong questions_ , the Doctor commented.

 _Shut up_ , Rose shot back, fixing her attention on more urgent matters. "Mum- I-"

Jackie's head was suddenly filled with possibilities. "Rose! Dearest! Are you _pregnant_?"

"No!"

"Are you terminally ill?" She'd recently watched _A Walk to Remember_ , after all.

"No! No, Mum. No!"

Relief could be seen on the mother's face. "I'm glad. Very glad to know that. _What_ is it, then?"

Rose took a deep breath, feeling her face colour slightly. " _True love_ , Mum."

This has had quite a different effect on Jackie Tyler than expected. She knew just how much trouble having fallen in love – _love at first sight_ even more so – had caused her daughter. Only then, she was poor. A simple teenage girl, just like everyone else around. Could it be she hasn't learnt from her mistakes? At least then marriage was not even an option. Now...

"Why now? When my dearest friend Jess… Jessica, remember her?" Rose shook her head.

"You were just a baby then," Jackie remembered. "She used to say you were the loveliest baby she's ever seen! She has finally found the time to visit us! Straight from Australia! She's even been to Africa… In fact, she's just arrived from there. Says the weather in both continents – with the heat, and all- is ten times more devastating than in here… Can you believe it?! I can't wait for her to finally meet you! The loveliest baby, have grown into the most beautiful young woman! Come meet my girl Rose, Jess!"

The minute the woman – perhaps much younger than she has looked at the first glance for them – met Rose's startled eyes, she giggled. "Hello again!"

Rose nodded, a shy smile on her face. Jackie Tyler was surprised, and not in a good way. "You two know each other?"

"All three of us, we've met. Today! Right, Rose – may I call you Rose?"

The Time Lady was looking for help in her bond-mate's mind. _Help?_

The Australian woman was unbelievably amused. "Now that we're on the subject… Where's your beloved husband? You did not seem to ever let go of him, not for one instant-"

Jackie Tyler grabbed Rose by the hand. "Why haven't you told me _anything_ , Rose? How long has this secret _affair_ of yours been going on? Who is it? _Who_ has stolen my baby girl from me?

The Doctor has finally stepped out of the shadows, winking at the 'Jess' woman, who grinned at them both.

"I'm afraid this happens to only be me, Jackie."

Rose did _not_ look at Jackie. The Doctor looked only at Rose.

The female guest from another continent was ignored completely.

Jackie stared at the scene before her for a long while and finally, finally began to laugh.


	14. Never Trust What You See

**Previously…**

_"I'm afraid this happens to only be me, Jackie."_

_Rose did_ _not_ _look at Jackie. The Doctor looked only at Rose._

_The female guest from another continent was ignored completely._

_Jackie stared at the scene before her for a long while and finally, finally began to laugh._

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Never Trust What You See**

The moment she understood this was truly not an illusion of some kind, the older Tyler gave the Doctor a relieved look. "Thank God. I have honestly been worried for a second there!"

The Time Lord looked at her with a curious smirk, relieved no less. "Good! Before you ask, Jackie… Rose is completely safe with me."

Jackie rolled her eyes, having forgotten the Doctor was capable of doing that. She would have given him the exact question.

"She'd better be!"

Rose sighed, having expected this and suddenly glad they were not the only ones before Mum's judging eyes.

Jackie Tyler grew uncomfortable. Did she really need to give him the pointless question? Not quite. The Doctor's looks meant for her daughter have been self-explicatory long before their separation.

The Doctor grew serious. "I don't know if you realise the importance of this, Jackie. The seriousness of this connection Rose and I now share…"

"I _do_. My baby getting married is something great, something _fantastic_ , even! Getting married without her mother knowing about it, though-" Jackie glared at her rebellious daughter, the look changing to one of concern the next moment… However, it was very likely Rose has missed it, anyway.

The mother – and a mother-in-law already, it seemed - had a very important question to give him. "Suppose it doesn't need saying, but- do you _love_ her?" This question was meant for the Doctor no less than to his Rose or to Jackie's Australian friend… But he gaped at the woman, almost feeling like laughing out loud at the open question. The look he's given her was almost mocking.

The alien exhaled, not enjoying what felt like a questioning session. "You _know_ the answer to that."

Rose tried to calm the Time Lord down in the way only bond-mates could. The soft caress in his mind has caused him to grin at her. _You are amazing_ , he sent her, a smile on his face, but the Doctor's distress she could feel without trying was almost painful. _Rose, oh, my Rose!_ _Could you find a way,_ any _way to free us out of this?_

The girl smiled shyly, just as in need to leave this pointless conversation, fluttering her eyelashes. "I think we should leave Mum and her friend to discuss whatever, _John_." Rose mused, having used the name on purpose. The seductive way she said it was, too, meant to have its effect. On the Doctor… and on the spectators.

The older Tyler shook her head, exasperated. " _No_ , Rose. Although her Doctor's just the same," Jackie grimaced, remembering her friend for once. "It's rude to leave so early when the guest has only just arrived! Will you _never_ learn?"

'Jess' looked at them understandingly. "Is her husband a doctor? How sweet. We haven't got a chance to chat with the sweethearts properly on the plane. Had I known she was your daughter, I'd have found a way to join them on the way to your estate-"

The two Time Lords shared a look. Jackie was looking at them, a quiet plea on her face. She needed to begin talking before the Doctor opened his mouth. She knew it was very likely the alien would only cause trouble with his rambling. "He is a doctor of science by education. Right, _John_?"

"Yes, I am a doctor of many things," he spoke with assurance, his tone implying that was the end of his explanation, his eyes once again only set on the equally uncomfortable Rose Tyler.

With Rose's mother, the Time Lord knew what to expect. Knew what could and could never be said in front of her. _Had known_ , the Doctor corrected himself. Jackie's reaction to the drastic change in Rose's and his relationship was still unclear… But she seemed at least as uneasy about this situation as they were.

Soon, all three of them have learnt the discomfort was only to rise to new levels.

"I have never seen anyone as much in love before," the visitor spoke, throwing them both a very meaningful look. _She means-_ Rose could not look at the woman without either blushing furiously or sending her one of the glares her mother was famous for.

 _Anyone as much in need of a quickie, she meant. I would much more likely have you in the bed with me for days. Not for fifteen – or is it less – minutes,_ the Gallifreyan rolled his eyes at Jackie's friend.

Jackie sent him a thankful look for having kept his mouth shut, even if his silence must have seemed strange for her friend. Jackie Tyler, too, could be good at making up creative almost-truths when the circumstances required it.

"They are so much in love it frightens me sometimes," the mother agreed with her friend Jessica. If she _had_ understood the implied meaning heard in the tone of the woman's voice, she chose to ignore it. It seemed every look Rose and the Doctor shared was somehow furthering her from her child… And there was nothing to be done about it.

Rose cleared her throat. "This has been a tiring journey for both of us, Mum. Could we have some rest, at least?"

"Of course. But not for long."

Jackie's friend shook her head the moment they were inside the enormous house. "Your Rose has already slept for many hours on the plane, let me tell you," she giggled good-naturedly. "If it weren't for your son-in-law, who was fully awake whenever I laid my eyes on him- I'd say they're off for a shag."

The Tyler-woman was suddenly furious. "This is my _family_ you're talking about!"

"Yeah, sorry. Old habits die hard, Jacks. Anyway… Are you sure Rose won't get a heart-attack, wearing the warm dress in this heat, unbearable as it is?"

Jackie eyed her friend warily, her words certain. "The Doctor- I mean, John… I'm sure he wouldn't have allowed my daughter put this on if he would as much as have thought this thing had the smallest risk to make Rose unwell."

Jessica's eyes were still full of disbelief. This has made Jackie even more uneasy.

"I'll go ask her myself, if my girl's health worries you so much." Even saying it, the Tyler woman could see her friend couldn't care less. One that seemed to have become someone else over the years, someone she did not recognise. It must have only been her imagination, and yet…

With that uncertain thought in her mind, she entered the house. Jackie was not surprised to find them in the room closest to the entrance, snogging.

She cleared her throat. "Is this all you have come here for?"

Rose's eyes widened.

The Time Lord chortled. "This storage room is not exactly fit for anything else."

Jackie was suddenly ashamed. "Yes, I can see that. Jess is worried your dress – she eyed her daughter meaningfully – is a great deal too warm for this weather, and I thought-"

Rose shared a look with the Doctor. Ordinary people were _not_ supposed to notice these things. "This is my _wedding_ dress!"

"It _is_ ," Jackie agreed, never doubting it. "You seem perfectly comfortable wearing it, too." Not a drop of sweat on her face, not a single trace of it being unbelievably hot outside. "Some sort of alien technology, is it?"

Let her believe what she wants. "Yes." Rose's lips curled into a smile.

The mother was suddenly struck with a realisation. "A wedding dress… When have you married her, Doctor?"

"Today, as a matter of fact," he smirked, sending Rose an amorous look which was returned at once.

Jackie gaped at them, feeling excited all of a sudden. "Oh! Oh! This changes things! We must get wine and champagne, and I must put on my best dress-"

She remembered her friend. "Jessica must have brought something fit for the occasion as well, if not, I'll get her something of mine- _something_ should fit her!"

"Send her away," the Doctor spoke, a haunting certainty in his voice.

"Jessica? Why?!"

Rose glared at him. "What the Doctor means is your friend should be the one getting all the alcohol for the celebration," the look she sent him was suddenly pleading for cooperation.

Jackie could not understand. "But she's our _guest_! Surely, our driver could-"

It was Rose who answered. "Tell her you trust she would choose the best beverages for the occasion. Tell her you have no way to leave. Have to teach me the ways of married life," she grimaced."For God's sake, ask Al to get her to the most expensive dress shop around. Do _whatever_ , Mum."

Rose knew her new nature was nowhere as strong as it would become a few days from now… But risking it now, in the place so unlike the home she remembered, would have been unjustifiably foolish.

"Rose… Is there something wrong with how she'd behaved with you on the plane? I could make sure she apologised, if you'd like-"

She was living on the other side of the planet, after all-

The Doctor shook his head, his voice firm. "Jackie. You should probably go convince your friend to get us the drinks – a dress for herself, if need be – but she _cannot_ stay."

The Jessica woman was clever… Cleverer than Jackie, cleverer than any human around – and she knew much more about them than anyone. That was dangerous. Both for him and for Rose. Rose, who has had the invisible mark of a newly-born Time Lady on her still.

"I still don't see- If you're afraid she would sell some juicy information to the tabloids-"

And what sort of information _that_ would be! Not that anyone would believe in this woman. If they would, _well_ … A flight back could easily be planned in a few days, anyway. Besides, they _have_ given enough food for rumours… And photos! with their passionate outburst today.

Jackie still lingered. "I am not _that_ stupid, Doctor. _Who_ is she?"

The Time Lord grabbed Rose by the hand. If anything, they would get through this together.

"Jessica _Seaweed_ , they call her. She's the one looking for newly-born aliens. Torchwood would _love_ her," he grimaced.

The mother paled, thinking out loud. "Wait a moment, Doctor. Are you saying the woman who has come to visit me isn't-"

"She knows you well enough to call you a friend, at least. That much is for certain. This woman might even honestly think she remembered seeing Rose as a baby. These parallel universes can be tricky."

It hit Jackie then. One of the things she preferred to pretend did not exist. "She's not _my_ Jessica, is this what you mean?" The mixture of dread and realisation on the woman's face has made Rose want to hug her mother tight and tell her everything was going to be all right... Too bad the young Time Lady was not completely sure about it herself.

Luckily, Jackie was quick to connect the dots, especially when it meant something crucial to some of those dearest to her. "You are _not_ the one she's interested in, Doctor, with your nine hundred years…"

He nodded swiftly.

"Rose?!"

Another nod.

Jackie looked at her daughter. Rose's eyes were full of tears.

"My baby!" With that, she stormed out, paying no attention to the Time Lord.

* * *

The moment Donna has faced Martha again, it was late. If she had been brought to tears at some moments of the film, the traces of it were hidden well. Almost-losing each other must have been the darker side of their adventurous life.

"Hey," Martha greeted the ginger, feeling like getting into a conversation.

"Hello," she replied darkly, suddenly glad she had no husband or lover to cry over. How have they survived this? The world seemingly only determined to separate the Doctor and his Rose, for good? Donna sighed heavily, seemingly admiring the two even more now.

"You have finished watching the footage, I take it? How was it?"

"It was meant for you to see. You refused to, and I would not dare to ask the TARDIS to put it up again," Donna spoke dryly, her eyes void of emotion. The clever vessel had to conserve her energy to eventually get the inexplicably jealous Martha back to deal with her studies, after all. Perhaps _she_ should return to her home universe as well.

All of a sudden, the fiery human could not bear the thought of staying on board the ship for a second longer. It _was_ late, but not dark outside yet. Some places – even shops, maybe – still had to be open. "I am going out."

"You will be _fried_ in all the heat out there!" Martha warned her.

"I _love_ the heat. Love the sun, love travelling to new places!" _Need to clear my mind from all the sadness._ The following words have left her mouth without a thought. "Want to join me?"

"You mean 'let's get lost in Africa together?'" Martha's eyes sparkled with a careful excitement.

"I'm sure we could find Rose's mobile number in the TARDIS, in case we lose our way."

The dark-skinned companion averted her eyes, glaring at the wall. "Why not the Doctor's?"

That was exactly the reaction Donna had been expecting from her. "The TARDIS number, sure thing," she grimaced. "The Doctor's, though… Maybe _you_ still have it?"

"I think so," Martha grinned. _Of course_ she's kept it.

"Does he keep phone numbers of _everyone_ in some magical phone-book of his?"

"I'm fairly certain he has Rose's number memorised," the ginger could not miss an opportunity to tease the young almost-doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!


	15. Where the Truth Lies

**Previously…**

_That was exactly the reaction Donna had been expecting from her. "The TARDIS number, sure thing," she grimaced. "The Doctor's though… Maybe_ you _still have it?"_

" _I think so," Martha grinned. Of course she had it. "Does he keep phone numbers of everyone in some magical phone-book of his?"_

" _I'm fairly certain he has Rose's number memorised," the ginger could not miss an opportunity to tease the young almost-doctor._

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Where the Truth Lies**

The moment Jackie was back in the unbearable heat outside, she stopped abruptly, wondering for a moment just how she was going to tell the woman that she was expected to go away. The guest has been waiting for her friend patiently, a small knowing smile on her face. Even someone apparently as ignorant as Jackie Tyler could sense the unwelcome feeling of something being out of order. The sooner Jess left, the better – the Time Lord owed her more thorough explanations, at the very least.

Having heard Jackie's request – one uttered in the way she must have mastered long ago - without a trace of any unexpected emotion or tremor in her voice, her friend only shrugged.

"Are you sure we can't put it off, Jackie?" Surprise – maybe even a sincere one - was audible in the woman's voice. "We are all tired after such a long flight," she clarified. "Why can't your driver get everything?"

"Yes, Jess, I _am_ sure! My children need this to be the best day of their lives!"

 _Or is it the best_ shag _of their lives?_ The visitor smirked to herself.

She _could_ allow them as much. Before Jackie's precious daughter is drugged and taken away for experiments - because if she were not imagining things, this discovery could make her a living legend.

The Time Lord was too old and too powerful. A new-born Time Lady was a different matter entirely and her freshly-found abilities could still be mingled with without difficulties. Besides, she was - or would become, must become - a friend! Rose had to learn to trust her, before it was too late for her plan to be put in motion.

Jackie was going to hate her, but she was called Seaweed for a reason! Bringing the young woman with her meant money, fame and recognition - perhaps even to the point of people starting to call her a Seawell again. For now, she had to keep to her part. Money was surely making people unreasonable.

"But the dress? Really? I'm sure the one I've brought with me would fit just fine!"

Jackie was persistent. "A gown is what you need! My friend Jessica Sea-"

The friend hurried to interrupt her, just in case she was aware of that atrocious nickname of hers. "It's Seawell, I'm sure you remember, Tyler?"

"I could never forget," Jackie smiled at her sweetly. "Used to be jealous of your surname, on some days. "But you _must_ get yourself a proper gown. Money's no issue, and our Al is the most faithful driver there is. I would hate myself if you were dressed in an ordinary fashion… This is an occasion of a lifetime!"

Jessica exhaled, relenting. "Fine. Wine, champagne, a gown of my choice. I still don't see what it is I'd done to deserve such generosity!"

Jackie knew what to say to that. "You're a great friend I have not seen in years! Surely, I can make sure your visit is memorable!" Oh, Jackie had _no_ idea. But neither did Jessica.

* * *

The moment the Time Lord's mobile phone started ringing, he paid no mind to it. The Doctor and Rose had returned to kissing almost right after Jackie left them. He threw an unwilling glance to it only after the phone did not stop ringing for more than seven minutes.

"Martha's calling. Do you think I should answer?"

Rose shrugged. "Maybe something's happened?"

"Maybe," he agreed. "Could _you_ answer the phone for me?"

Rose shrugged again. "I'm _not_ talking to Martha, remember?"

Oh, did he remember! But he _couldn't_. "Talk to her. Please. Tell her whatever you want. I'll make sure to make up for it, love!"

Rose exhaled. _Fine, then._

"Doctor?" Martha's voice echoed, as if she were in a church or some place similar.

"The Doctor's away. We are on the other side of the world… And I have _nothing_ to talk to you about, Martha." From the silence on the other end she could guess the girl was displeased. The dark-skinned girl rolled her eyes, either unwilling or unable to apologise for the words that have stung Rose so deeply. She handed the phone to Donna instead, shaking her head.

From the grimace on Martha's face, Donna could have guessed who answered the phone. "Rose? Sweetheart? Is the Doctor somewhere nearby?"

 _Donna_ , Rose mouthed, seeing his eyes light up at once. "What is it?"

Her voice was unusually small. "We might have got lost, Martha and I."

It was the Doctor's anxious voice they have heard next. "How far from the TARDIS are you?"

"Not very far, I think…"

"A kilometre? A mile? More? Less?" Dealing with problems other than that Jessica woman had brought them was not what he needed at that moment.

"Something like that, yes."

The Doctor exhaled, exasperated. "You _must_ find your way back. There are _two_ of you, for Rassilon's sake!"

Donna was shocked. "Why are you mad? Has something gone wrong?" _Between you and Rose?_ Even thinking it felt wrong.

"We need to deal with _things_ , that's all. There is no way for us to reach you right now, _please_ be reasonable. Book yourselves a room in a hotel, if-"

"We're stuck in a _cave_!" Donna decided to be blunt.

The Doctor sighed. _Humans…_ "I wouldn't have chosen you as my companions if I knew you weren't able to overcome such a tiny obstacle on your own. Use your heads and call me when you're safely back inside my ship," he grunted, throwing the mobile device away as far as he could the moment he turned the device off.

"Do you think they don't get along well?" Martha's voice sounded hopeful.

"They _love_ each other. You'd better stay away from causing them harm," Donna spoke dryly. "We must find that goddamned exit first."

"And who, pray, was the one determined to go investigate?"

"Me! But you were following right after."

Martha rolled her eyes… but joined her. It barely took them five minutes to retrace their steps then… and another five to get out.

They shared a hug, happy to have found their way back without complications.

"Still in need of fresh air?" Martha teased her good-naturedly. "A visit to the shops, perhaps?"

"No! I think the TARDIS gardens would do just fine," the ginger admitted. Bored was one thing… But _safe_ was quite another.

* * *

Rose stared at the Doctor, incredulous. "What if they are really lost?"

"I _know_ that place. Let's wait for fifteen minutes – the women should be inside the TARDIS by then."

"Should I be worried about you wandering around strange places?" _Without me by your side_? Rose grinned.

"That's been many years ago," he nudged her. "All they could have done is made the place _harder_ to get lost in, trust me, my Rose," he smirked, always just as mesmerised about the never-ending empathy inside her.

"Okay!" _You know you owe me a lot for having made me talk to Martha?_

 _Anything. Anything you want,_ the Doctor breathed into her, Rose's lips curling into a knowing smile.

She had no time to respond, as her mother has arrived, fuming.

"Jess has gone. I need to know _everything_. Now!"

The Doctor had been expecting that. "From the beginning or-"

Her daughter's life was not something to joke about, but the older Tyler bit off her annoyance for the time being.

"What does Rose have to do with this, exactly?" Jackie knew the most important, the most startling part. But this was not enough, never enough for a mother.

"She is of interest to this _Seaweed_ woman, because-"

"Say it's because of her travelling with you and I'll _kill_ you!"

Rose shook her head, upset. "No, Mum. We are well behind this, yes?"

The Doctor shuddered against his will anyway.

"Jackie," he said in a voice impossible to ignore. "Rose is safer away from that Aussie friend of yours, that much is for certain."

Jackie fired up. "Away from _me_ , you mean?"

The Doctor ignored her outbreak. "From the fame unasked for, first of all. Unless you enjoy it, my darling!" He looked at his bond-mate searchingly.

She shrugged, suddenly glad she was not made to go anywhere else that day. "Honestly? I don't care one bit about these things, Mum." Rose eyed her mother apologetically.

"You'll get a fair deal of us in the photos tomorrow, rest assured, Jackie. We have not exactly denied anything," he smirked, getting a shadow of a smile from her.

"You enjoy rumours, Mum," the daughter winked at her. "Any talk is good talk, yeah?"

They were still close enough to the gate to have heard the doorbell. _Can't be Jessica so soon_ , the Doctor sent his Rose telepathic assurance, having noticed her grow tense the moment the bell rang.

Jackie hurried to accept whoever that was, leaving the two newly-weds alone.

The Doctor grinned. "Don't you have servants in this house?"

"Oh, we do," Rose assured him. "But Mum is simply too curious to wait," she bit her lower lip.

"As am I," he shrugged. "But let Jackie have her fun, yeah?"

"This is Mum's castle. She is supposed to enjoy everything, and _does_ , Rose giggled.

"Do you have your room here?"

"Mhm," she grinned at him. "And you are expecting I will share it with you?"

The Time Lord's face fell. "Well… That much is generally expected from married couples, I think… Unless you'd rather we didn't… It's all right if you don't want-"

The grin was all over her face now. "Doctor." Rose grabbed him by the shoulder fiercely.

 _Ouch._ "What was that for?"

"Of course I will share the room with you, you daft alien!"

"The last I checked, you were not exactly human either, love. By the way, is sharing the bed included in the package?"

"As for this – a permission to use my bed can be earned quite easily, I should think," she smirked wickedly at him.

 _Earned, is that so, my love?_ He raised an eyebrow.

_Of course, we could skip that part, husband._

He grew serious, remembering. "This is Jackie's house."

… _in the parallel universe. And I remember having told you we can't._

He gaped at her. She was his Rose Marion Tyler, a mystery never to be solved. _But?_

_We can't exactly say no, if-_

The Doctor grinned at her mischievously.

At that moment, Jackie returned, carrying several gossip magazines.

"Come 'ere, darlings! Got myself some interesting things, not to hit the kiosks until tomorrow morning!" She made them follow her into the enormous living room.

Rose might have guessed it correctly from the unmistakable sparkle in Mum's eyes, but she spoke anyway. "You know I don't fancy those gossip magazines any more, right?"

"A grown-up, that you are, my dear. But I have paid twice the price for these. Twenty quid, do you know why?"

"Because it has us on the front page," Rose smirked, not really guessing. "We knew this was coming. Right, husband?"

"We've been expecting something like this," the Doctor shrugged, uncomfortable all of a sudden.

_Rose Tyler in love? Twenty-five juicy pages of undeniable information! With photos!_

" _Undeniable_? We spoke to no-one!" Rose shook her head. "Have _you_?" She eyed the Doctor warily.

" _Look_ at me," he challenged her with a smile.

Rose sighed in relief, a sole glance telling her everything she needed to know. The Doctor could be talkative, usually was… But not a thing was said about her.

"Lies. All lies," Jackie flipped through the pages hastily. "Oh, blast this nonsense. I want pictures!"

Then, the photos came. She gasped, but her eyes were shining with excitement. "My sweethearts. Come, sit, let's look these over together!"

"Let's deal with Jessica first," the Doctor suggested.

Jackie objected. "No. We know she has bad intentions. Dealing with her can wait for a bit longer, surely?"

Rose sighed, grabbing his hand. It seemed to have helped, or at least her calming thoughts must have.

The mother's excitement has soon put smiles on their faces. "Well, this is some quality posing right there," Jackie gave the Doctor two thumbs up.

"Oh. Those goddamned photographers seem to have been everywhere you two went. Should have expected it, yeah? And this photo here. You should have kept your hand there, Doctor, it would have meant _fifty_ pages! Perhaps an entire issue just on the two of you!" She spoke dreamily.

The Doctor struggled to keep a straight face. "It wasn't-"

"An accidental brush of your hand. Sure enough," Jackie rolled her eyes. "Oh! A bus is more like it. The most shadowy corner, obviously."

"We weren't doing _anything_!"

"Perhaps," Jackie agreed. "But the position-" The caption has made her cover her mouth.

"You are seeing and reading too much into this article, Mum. Expect twenty identical ones tomorrow," Rose smiled at her, mentally preparing herself for quite a different sort of charade...


	16. Know Your Enemy

**Previously…**

" _We weren't doing_ anything _!"_

" _Perhaps," Jackie agreed. "But the position-" The caption has made her cover her mouth._

" _You are seeing and reading too much into this article, Mum. Expect twenty identical ones tomorrow," Rose smiled at her, mentally preparing herself for quite a different sort of charade…_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Know Your Enemy**

The Doctor could sense Rose's unease without as much as touching her. Something had to be done about it as soon as possible, he knew. Even when the subject of her discomfort was nowhere in sight at that point. No matter if it was Jessica, Martha or someone else, he was aware any kind of unexpected distress could weaken his young Time Lady at this point, when everything in Rose's new nature was still so raw and unusual for her.

The alien put the magazines aside without an explanation. "We will gladly look some of these over with you, Jackie," the Time Lord assured the mother, once again getting close to his wife. Merely holding Rose's hand seemed to wipe some of her unease away. Not all of it, but…

"It's your friend Jessica we must deal with first," his voice allowed no objections. "While the woman's still away, we should talk about some ways we could stop her from stealing Rose away from us," the Doctor sent his pink and yellow Time Lady a loving look.

Jackie Tyler nodded at him, determination in her eyes. Why hadn't she remembered this on her own? Surely, this parallel Jess must have been different. Heck, so was Pete! "Yes, of course."

No articles or photographs could ever replace her Rose. Jackie was watching them both with a mixture of excitement and anxiety shining on her face. Of course, she should have expected trouble was always somewhere nearby with the two of them. It was clear her life was going to be affected by the risky life her Rose and her Time Lord husband were into. Even if these kind of adventures were but a simple day for them, Jackie could not help but be afraid for Rose. And for the alien, the woman reminded herself.

"How was it you called my Aussie friend, again?"

"Seaweed," the Doctor grimaced. "Jessica Seaweed."

"Not a Seawell, then," the older Tyler spoke to everyone and no-one.

"Seawell's her _real_ last name, yes," the Doctor agreed. "But those who know her ways never bother with it."

"What has she done to have earned such a name, in the first place?" Jackie asked, almost afraid to hear his answer. Jess was her _friend_! Besides, since when was the Doctor aware of these things? She shook her head, thoughtful. "If you know so much about the parallel Jessica... How is my real friend, the _real_ Jessica doing?"

" _She_ poses no danger to anyone. Might be travelling the Arctic, for all I know," the Time Lord winked at Jackie.

"You mean, you don't know. Is that a good thing?" The mother eyed him curiously.

"It is. Look, do you want to know more about _this_ Jessica, or not?" _Because we have other things to deal with_ , he sent a tender reminder to Rose, who shrugged.

Jackie nodded, suddenly serious.

"The woman's good at pretending. Nearly flawless at it, really. Can become your best friend whenever she needs it almost effortlessly… Oh, and she's had her hair dyed green at some point. A bet, might be. But that has only assured the nickname."

This was not what mattered for Jackie Tyler. She might have remembered some drastic changes in her friend's hairdo when they were younger - even _these_ things were similar - but that wasn't what was truly important.

"Is Jess some sort of a witch or-"

The Doctor averted his eyes, stealing a glance at Rose. "No such thing as witchcraft exists," he spoke the same phrase for the hundredth time already, not really surprised about Jackie's guess.

"Pity," Jackie shrugged. "I can't say I wouldn't enjoy having a magician for a son-in-law." The glare she received from her daughter made her regret her words at once.

"I was only kidding, of course. A Time Lord is magic enough for me," the mother hurried to add, uncomfortable.

"She is just as human as you are," the Time Lord assured the older Tyler, ignoring her previous words on purpose, not giving Jackie time to consider his words thoroughly. Because even if the woman had taken the news about the changes in her daughter's nature so nicely, there was still a possibility the realisation would only hit her fully in time. Hopefully, Rose and he would be away from her wrath by then.

"Jessica knows a lot about psychology. Not only human psychology, it seems." _She is able to convince you to do anything. Risk anything. Sacrifice anything._

" _I_ know things about psychology! From the _Popular Psychology_ magazine."

"That's for the masses," the Doctor sighed at her with an enviable tirelessness to explain. "Her knowledge is deeper than that." He remembered something that might help him to convince Jackie Tyler about the dangerous woman fully. "Have you two been in constant contact? Letters, postcards, e-mails? Phone-calls?"

"No, we have not been in contact for approximately ten… or was it fifteen… years. And, well-"

"Not with Jessica of _this_ world," he offered kindly, knowing just how much of a shock this must have been for Rose's mother.

Then, it has hit her anew. The older Tyler met the worry in Rose's eyes and exhaled, having allowed the fear to overtake her. "I- I must have got too excited about someone from my teenage years wanting to meet me to even-"

"Exactly," the Doctor said with a nod, still watching her encouragingly. They were going to need as much help and support in this as they could get.

"Have your mother and Jessica at least been close at the time you saw the woman last, Rose?"

 _I have been_ a baby _, Doctor._ "It might be I couldn't even walk back whenever Jessica was visiting Mum last."

"Has she spoken to you of Jess often, Rose?" The Time Lord's worry mirrored Jackie's.

Rose has never let go of the Doctor's hand, seeking for love, comfort and assurance in the touch. The intertwined fingers have somehow helped them both to keep some of the unavoidable tension in the room away. There were things not even Jackie was supposed to know…

"Once or twice, I believe. But only briefly. Nothing about their childhood together, things like that," Rose shrugged.

The Doctor's eyes sparkled in understanding. "You have barely spoken of her up to today, even back in your original universe. Why's that?"

"I don't know, she wasn't somehow exceptional, or anything. A friend."

"Yet today you act as if she were your best friend. See where this is going, Jackie?"

"She wants me to believe we are best friends?"

The Time Lord nodded. "Are and have been all this time."

The woman's eyes widened. "But we're not!"

"Just pretend, Jackie. This will save both you and Rose!" _It should._

"A wedding dinner is something that should keep you busy, Mum," Rose spoke softly, interrupting them both.

The perspective has made the older Tyler's eyes light up. "It's been a while," she grinned. "I'll get this place decorated! For the two of you!" Her excitement has put smiles on the couple's faces.

"What about the two of you?" The mother looked at them both with equal curiosity. Trying to find the time to finally be alone together seemed perfectly understandable to her, but were they really up to something so mundane right away, even under these circumstances?

"Oh, Rose has promised me quite the thing," he smirked. "But not today, I believe."

"Of course it has to be today!" Jackie objected. "It's your day, no matter-"

The mother sighed, remembering. "Oh, and try to keep your _activities_ to- Yeah. As long as it is not anywhere close where I might see or hear you, lovebirds," she grimaced at the Doctor good-naturedly. "Another thing. Must you two hold hands all the time?"

"We choose to, Mum!" Rose smiled at her, an unmistakable feeling of trust in her eyes.

"We're off to-"

"To change. I need to change for the wedding," the Doctor made a face.

Jackie Tyler waved them off, believing to have known just whereto they were heading… and for what. The knowing grin on her face was never fully gone, not until she heard the door closed shut after them. With a heavy sigh, she went to start a usually quarrelsome discussion with the servants about the evening's menu. Rose and her Doctor deserved something special for the occasion.

* * *

As soon as the door to Rose's room was closed, the Doctor wrapped his arms around her.

 _Impatient, are we?_ She teased him, knowing as well as he did they could not allow themselves to simply get coated in some sort of a wedded bliss.

"There are things, my darling. Things you must know about me I haven't really-"

 _Bad things?_ She was not scared, just curious.

"It depends on the perspective, Rose. I don't believe I've told you, which I should have as soon as we-"

_As long as it's not dangerous, it's fine!_

The Doctor smirked at her, still not fully used to the unbelievably pleasant sensation of hearing another Time Lord speaking to him in his mind.

_Thought you loved danger?_

Rose gave him the unbelievably seducing, tongue-touched grin. _Love everything, as long as it's with you, my Doctor._

He did not waste time. _Time Lords… Bonded Time Lords, they have this thing. They can't stay away from their partner for long._

Rose shrugged at him. "How long? A week? A month?"

"As we are newly bonded, the most we could stay away from each other is for, say, seven _hours_ ," he looked at her, apology shining in his eyes.

"Yeah?" The girl grinned at him, seemingly not at all upset. _Even five and a half hours are not seven._ She hoped the Doctor caught that one, but did not wait for his reaction. "Surely, there has had to be a cure, knowing you Time Lords were not very much into forming bonds in the first place, yeah?"

"There has been a cure, all right," he agreed, stirring uncomfortably. "There has been a course at the Academy for those silly enough to believe they would need to find themselves a bond mate some time in future.

_So?_

The very thought of his Time Lady Rose wishing to know it was unpleasant, but he could not help the Londoner with that.

 _It's okay if you don't want to tell me_ , Rose bit her lip.

"Well… I might have run away at the time we were taught this most important part, yeah?"

Rose Tyler sent the Doctor an incredulous stare. He shrugged at her with a grin.

"Stuck with you?" She prompted, giggling.

"For better or for worse," the Time Lord breathed into her still just as exquisite, still just as comfortable and nowhere less red wedding gown. "My Rose Marion Tyler, the last of the Time Ladies!"

The said Time Lady eyed him quizzically, saying nothing.

* * *

The noise downstairs could have meant a lot of things. Jackie Tyler might be directing and ordering the servants around. The promised decorating might have begun. Or Jackie's so-called best friend might have returned.

All but the final possibility were all right with them both. Which could have meant only one thing. _She's here._

 _Allons-y!_ The Doctor's hand has never left hers. Neither has his excitement.

 _This is just a new adventure for us! One of many to come! Trust me, Rose,_ he added, sensing her uneasiness about the whole situation. All Rose wanted was to visit her Mum. Not to be faced with a danger of being kidnapped by some shadowy person for _experiments_!

The Doctor sent Rose a mental assurance she has been craving for. A promise of love, protection, affection, trust… That of _forever_.

When they have descended the stairs together, giggling about something excitedly, Jessica has thought – only for a second – that they were both nothing but a couple of youngsters… That maybe this has all been for nothing. But that was gone as soon as they approached. The undeniable sensation of something inexplicable and alluring about them – Rose, in particular -was encouraging her to keep to her goal.

First thing was to make Rose (and John for now, as they were seemingly _never_ apart) trust her. She was good at that. Trusting her to the point of agreeing to travel with her all the way to Australia would be best. Getting rid of her Time Lord would be a slight problem, but this was not necessary for her plan to work.

She's had five days fully for herself to put the plan in motion. Only five days. _Even_ five days. One of them would be wasted on the flight. But _four_ days simply did not have the correct ring to it.

Jackie looked at the Doctor in expectation, not at all surprised about the loving looks he kept showering her daughter in. That much could be expected.

"How do you like the decorations?" The mother's question was directed at all of them.

 _It's practically the same on every other celebration Mum holds,_ Rose giggled. _She just wants to boast to her Jess a bit._

Rose was suddenly unbelievably glad her mother was good at pretending.

The Doctor looked over the room with admiration. "Lovely. Really creative, Jackie!" _Sweet nonetheless._

After having heard some praises for her artistic sense, Jackie attacked the sly woman with questions. "So, Jess dear. Is the London weather to your liking?"

The woman could answer that much honestly. " _Any_ weather is better than at home in Perth at the moment."

Having glanced at Rose's long-sleeved dress, she shuddered intentionally, yet kept her mouth shut.

"I think it's about time for the wedding feast to begin!" Jackie allowed no arguments. "Just give us a moment to change, yeah?" The older Tyler was good at putting on a believable mask of honest excitement on her face.

The one known in certain circles as Seaweed played a role of her own. The 'best friends' farce seemed fine with both women at that moment, even if both were taking part in this for different reasons entirely. Something had to be saved for both of them. For Jess, it was recognition. For Jackie, it was family.

All went well up to the point when Jackie saw the dress the guest has chosen. "Really, Jess? _Really_?"

"What's wrong?"

"It's perfect. Fits you," Jackie Tyler smiled sweetly at her, all the while trying her best not gag at the dress. It was dark green.

Jackie regained her composure after a moment, seeing the Doctor and Rose have been unmoved by what seemed like an open mockery to her. "Come, let's go open the champagne."


	17. Keeping You Safe

**Previously...**

_"It's perfect. Fits you," Jackie Tyler smiled sweetly at her, all the while trying her best not gag at the dress. It was dark green._

_Jackie regained her composure after a moment, seeing the Doctor and Rose have been unmoved by what seemed like an open mockery to her. "Come, let's go open the champagne."_

* * *

 

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Keeping You Safe**

"Aren't you going to join us?" The visitor smiled at the fair-haired subject of her interest kindly. "You and your husband, of course," she hurried to add.

"My darling Rose is exhausted still, I'm afraid," the Doctor spoke, having thrown a glance at Rose.

"Too exhausted to drink?" Jessica sounded incredulous. Even if today, perhaps tomorrow or even the day after tomorrow were primarily only meant to work on building the unquestionable trust in Rose, hopefully in the others as well – the sensation of unease was surrounding her, no matter what she did. All the woman knew was this was _not_ how it should have gone. Of course, there was the unfamiliarity of the location- she shook her head at the unwelcome thoughts. Jessica was determined to succeed, no matter the cost.

"Alcohol would only make my head spin, yeah?" Rose was asking for support from Mum, who could only nod at her. She was aware everything depended on the Doctor and her daughter now.

"Sorry for having ruined the celebration before it's even begun," the Gallifreyan eyed them apologetically. "This one here would sleep for fifteen hours a day, if allowed," he whined mockingly. "Champagne would only make matters worse."

"I hope you don't allow her to sleep _too much_ , John," the Australian giggled at him suggestively. A day, two or even three could be sacrificed for the better good. For _her_ good.

"I _love_ her," the Doctor spoke simply. "I am here to make my Rose safe and happy and fulfil her _every_ wish," he finished. _Even in your fluffy pink bed, if you so wish, Rose._ This time, the Time Lord was the one to drag his tense fair bride upstairs, not having said another word.

Jackie hoped he meant it. "Sorry. John and Rose have just got married, you must understand."

"I don't. Have never cared about binding myself to someone," Jessica shrugged. "I've always thought I'm much stronger on my own. Even friends, they are only useful for one purpose."

Jackie Tyler had to keep all of her concentration not to let the bubbly-liquid filled glass fall onto the carpet. "What purpose?"

"To help me make my wishes come true," the guest spoke tiredly. Jackie could not remember if Jessica has even tasted the champagne at this point.

"I'm sure you don't mean your _best_ friend?" Jackie asked her hopefully. If there were things she _could_ do, Jackie was determined to play her role in this well.

The woman shook her head, her eyes wide. Losing the woman's trust was out of the question. "My plain, good, luxury-obsessed, family-loving Jackie… Jaqueline Tyler? How could I?" There was no mockery heard in her voice, which was surprising.

The guest sipped from the glass. "Not worth the money," she grimaced. "Might be it's a quality product straight from the cellars in France, but it's nothing but disgusting," she grimaced.

Jackie grinned at her friend, recognising the wild girl from her teenage years. She knew what was coming next. "We will finish the bottle anyway, yeah?"

"How do you think, Jaqueline?"

Soon, the women were laughing and drinking. Reminiscing old times. Talking, laughing and drinking. Then drinking some more. For a moment, Jackie was about to believe the entire parallel Jessica nonsense was just a creation of the Doctor's.

Really, how could Jackie have thought her old friend would hurt Rose? It was _unthinkable_. Somehow, without them knowing, one emptied bottle of champagne became three… When champagne was no longer, several bottles of wine followed. Neither of the women ever spared a thought about the two lovers upstairs.

* * *

"There," Rose muttered, having taken the chance to descend the stairs just enough to see the women. "They're seemingly too drunk to pay any attention to us, both Mum and Jess. Although this does not happen often with Mum, I'll have you know!" She assured him eagerly.

 _This is how you humans prove your friendship and trust_ , the Doctor rolled his eyes at the sight, hoping this was nothing but Jessica's very successful attempt to seem friendly. Each of such thoughtless slips of concentration from Jessica's side was only for the better.

 _Not human_ , the wife reminded him.

"Good," the Doctor whispered back, meaning it. "But we wouldn't want to be rude, hm?"

"Excuse us, ladies," the Doctor winked at the two women, his eyes gleaming. _Have had too much, yeah?_ Having Jessica unable to work on her wicked plans, even if for a while, was relieving.

Rose smirked, more than willing to take part in this silly little game of theirs. "Don't expect us any time soon," she added, nearly dragging the Time Lord back upstairs with her. With the door once again closed after them, the Doctor grinned at his bond-mate, almost ready to lock her door with his sonic screwdriver, but changing his mind at the wry smirk on his bond-mate's face.

"Let them suppose what they will, Rose," he spoke softly instead.

"My Doctor. I don't want to be away from you," her words were sincere.

The Gallifreyan sent her an assuring look, filled with undeniable love. "You can't." _Even if you wanted to, even if it were all you ever desired…_

Rose shook her head. "But what if Jessica succeeds?" Fear could be heard in her words.

 _Trust me, my love. She_ won't _._ "This… London is not her place. She would need to take you to Australia, first of all. Familiar vibe and what not..."

The Doctor grimaced, mentally groaning at just how much harm the Seaweed woman could cause. Some of that would very likely be irreparable. He shook the thoughts away before they could reach Rose's mind. Her unease was clouding their mental communication. Even that would no longer be possible in a few days' time, if all went as it should… For now, the Doctor was taking all the best he could from the situation.

"She's from London originally," Rose tried to object, hopeful just the same that he was right.

The Doctor's hand found hers as soon as the bigger part of his own anxiety has faded. "That she may be, but so many years abroad does change a person. She is a foreigner here now, more or less. This would complicate her efforts greatly, if she were to succeed getting you away, after all."

Rose's eyes glistened, as the dreadful possibility of it happening entered her mind. "You've told me she would not…"

 _She will not, I assure you._ The young Time Lady seemed to have been doubting in him still, even if just a little bit.

He grinned at her. "There is a simple way to try and see how powerful your new nature is at this point, my Rose."

_Yes?_

_This lovely weather outside should help_ , the Doctor smirked at her. _You would need to take the wedding dress off for that, though._

Rose shook her head. The dress bore too much meaning for her yet to just take it off for some _test_. He smiled at her _,_ happy about this reaction. _If the Time Lady is already strong enough within you, you will barely feel the heat the dress protects you from._ "If not, I will do _other_ things that should help somehow."

It was unclear to her at first what those other things meant. Just for a moment.

He laid her onto the bed gently then. Just as gently, the Doctor caressed her mind. Slowly, patiently... Rose felt an intense sensation of need. Unexpected, uninvited… But it was there. She was growing wet without being touched. A sensation like no other, and yet… An involuntary sigh escaped her lips.

"What are you doing, Doctor?" She knew exactly what this was… But her dress was still on! Surely, he could not just-

"Touching you," he smiled. _Showing you..._

_Do you mean you have the means to fuck me without even-_

He grimaced, amused. "Isn't _making love_ more acceptable?"

"Too many syllables," Rose tried to shrug, but the Doctor shook his head. _Relax. Think of what we are. Our future. Our present. Allow me to-_

"Hush now," she stopped him, uncomfortable.

He giggled. "I am almost willing to make Seaweed's chances of luring you away bigger right now."

_What?_

_A new-born Time Lady is much easier to get hold of if she has just given herself away to another._

Rose stared at him, confused. "Speak English?"

"If we make love here and now, Rose, some part of you will stay inside me, some unseen and unfelt part of your Time Lady essence you cannot risk losing just yet. It would weaken you considerably."

The girl was incredulous. "Why? Won't we exchange- well, am I the only one giving something to you?"

"No. I am giving a part of myself to you as well, Rose. But that might not be enough to compensate-"

The girl's eyes saddened. "We have already made love, remember?" She muttered his Gallifreyan name into the Doctor's ear. "Would that remain the only time we-"

The Time Lord grinned at her. "You are a genius, Rose!"

His excitement's made her mirror his expression. _Yeah?_

"It has all happened so recently-"

_So?_

"Recently, but not exactly-"

 _You know as well as I do I was not what I am now_ , Rose's mind reached for his.

_Correct!_

Rose sighed at him in exasperation. He grinned at her. She was so close to making out the truth of her own words it felt almost amusing. _I know you can do it, darling. I won't help you. Make the realisation come to you._

Rose Tyler _was_ a Time Lady, after all. It merely took moments for her to get the idea which had escaped her own lips first. "You mean… when we have first made love back on the TARDIS-" _Something was different about me. Something that has been a part of me for all the time until-_

Rose gasped, welcoming his lips on hers. _Does the fact our first time together took place when I was still human change anything?_ The Doctor nodded at her eagerly.

"It changes everything, love. _Everything_!"

The Doctor took her in his arms, bubbling with excitement. This time, he was going to give Rose so much more. More than stars. More than galaxies. More than himself, more than-

"Just keep me safe, my Doctor," Rose breathed at him. "Please. If we must avoid doing whatever-"

He understood it then. She was afraid. His Rose Marion Tyler, his Time Lady bond-mate… his wife, if they were forced to keep to human terminology… She was afraid, and she should not have been.

 _Rose. My love. My Rose._ Instead of saying anything, he began kissing her. The wordless communication seemed to have worked as the best medicine. Without as much as removing her dress, the Doctor's mind caressed hers in the way only Time Lords were familiar with. Only those sharing complete trust were ever allowed to employ this sort of communication. The unuttered promise of forever was a _fact_ nobody could ever make untrue.

Rose could barely remember to breathe. Her Time Lord wasn't even touching her. Not intimately.

"Don't fall asleep just yet," the Doctor asked her softly. _Or I might just begin to worry I am doing something wrong._

"I won't," Rose smirked at him, licking her lower lip. "I wouldn't mind discovering some of the things you can do to me without even touching me physically, yeah, Doctor?"

That much, he was ready to grant her.

_Always._

* * *

Meanwhile, in Africa, the two women left behind were dealing with it the best they could. Luckily, the TARDIS was not against providing them with ice-cream of their preferred flavours. The ship knew just how sensitive humans were to unusual temperatures, but altering it to their needs at this point would have taken too much energy from her needed for other things.

Martha Jones tossed her study papers away. Somehow, they have both found themselves in Donna's room again. The redhead did not seem to mind her company.

"It's too hot to even think," the dark-skinned companion whined.

"And too dark to read," the ginger motioned at the dark green, almost black curtains the ship had provided her with now at least partially protecting them from the unusual heat.

Martha cleared her throat, getting straight to the point of what was nagging her. "Do you think I might still have a chance with the Doctor if I tried really hard?"

Donna's eyes widened. "You are not travelling with him any more. Neither am I, although I have never really left for things other than visits to my family…"

"I _have_ left him… because of reasons. Then he has invited me and you back all of a sudden. He _needs_ us."

The hope in Martha's voice was both silly and expected.

"He only needs Rose," Donna repeated, suddenly unwilling to reason with the girl.

"But there is a chance, I know! There has to be!" The dark-haired human was persistent.

The ginger patted the other woman's shoulder. "I am not going to discourage you. Try it. The moment they are out of their newly-wedded bliss, you may try." _But don't you try to blame me if all you get from it is pain._

Martha has suddenly let go of her chocolate ice-cream cone and run out of the room without a word.


	18. Starting Slowly

**Previously...**

_The ginger patted the other woman's shoulder. "I am not going to discourage you. Try it. The moment they are out of their newly-wedded bliss, you may try."_ But don't try to blame me if all you get from it is pain.

_Martha has suddenly let go of her chocolate ice-cream cone and run out of the room without a word._

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Starting Slowly**

Whatever the Doctor and Rose were about to do – not so much, it seemed, as his bond-mate was more or less uneasy still – was broken off when the Time Lord's mobile started to ring, the plain sound shrill and unwelcome. He glanced at it with an obvious distaste. _Donna._

"Answer it?" Rose shrugged at him, knowing he was going to.

"Yes, Donna? Have you two found your way back, after all?"

The ginger snorted. "We have. But it's Martha I need to talk about. Or are you busy?"

" _Are_ we busy, Rose?" The Time Lord asked his sweetheart, half-expecting some cheeky remark from her.

"Not exactly," she sighed, avoiding his look, but never taking her hand away.

"I won't keep you long!" Donna assured him. "It's just- Martha has just learnt about the marriage – and I don't know what to do! She keeps avoiding me, as if I were the one to blame!"

"About what marriage?" The Doctor sounded confused.

Rose giggled. _Ours, silly!_

 _Bonding is much more than_ a wedding _, Rose,_ he shrugged _._ "Was it necessary to mention it at all?" the Doctor sighed, neither upset nor surprised. Donna has always been the chatty one.

"Probably not, but Martha just keeps harbouring these illusions about how your and Rose's relationship could be broken apart, and I thought-"

"That's lovely of you to care about us, I suppose," the Doctor sent Rose a loving smile, all the while keeping his attention on the conversation with Donna. "If you fail with making her see reason, try avoiding the subject. She has run away from the TARDIS trying to show her some of our adventures, right?"

"How do you-"

"The connection with my ship is just that strong," he shrugged it off. Donna knew better than to question him further, deciding to address a different matter.

"When might we expect the two of you? Can't say I'm longing to return to the unimaginable cold back in my home universe, but-"

 _Oh, yes. There's that._ For once, the Doctor was glad Rose had been too unsettled to pay a sufficient amount of attention to his actions. Lack of these, thereof. He should have begun working on fixing the universes straight after Martha and Donna got on board the TARDIS.

 _We both know you wouldn't have_ , Rose shrugged at him, her eyes sparkling.

 _Because you have returned. Yes!_ The Time Lord agreed, momentarily surprised at the patient silence on the other end of the call. Donna must have indeed known more about him than she allowed him to believe. "We should be back before the old girl fixes herself. Try and be gentle with her. And try not to quarrel with Martha too much. We have our own problems here."

"Oh?" Donna blinked.

Could Martha have been right? Was their seemingly unbreakable relationship _this_ easy to destroy?

He seemed to have sensed her doubts. "Don't be silly, Donna. Even if all else fails, we will stay together, Rose and I. The problem has nothing to do with-"

Rose shook her head at him, preferring to keep the trouble out of other people's ears, even from Donna's.

"We have some urgent things waiting for us, my wolf girl and I," the Doctor breathed out, letting the phone slip out of his hands just as he did the time before.

* * *

"Right. We should probably check your mother and the _Seaweed_ out first, just in case," the Time Lord cleared his throat.

"I don't think they'd be awake any time soon," the younger Tyler shrugged at him. Having spent her whole life as a human and knowing her Mum as well as she did, Rose has never once doubted at least some hours were needed for Jackie to return to herself after such a pleasant _party_. With an old friend, one not seen for years. Such an outcome was only understandable.

"Not if we wake them up," the Doctor wrapped his arms around her waist, glad to feel the sensation of love and trust overtaking him at once.

The girl could not understand, freeing herself from his embrace the next second. "Why would you want that?"

"The sooner we deal with this unpleasant adventure, the sooner we can return to our usual lives, darling!"

Rose exhaled, smiling wryly at the Doctor. "I am still not quite used to the _Time Lady_ thing. Not something usual for me, yeah?"

Her eyes were shining nonetheless. "I love it all the same," she smirked at him.

 _My Rose._ The Doctor grinned at her, yet said nothing out loud.

"Must we join them right now?" She was doubtful it was a good idea. Surely, this was not the only way to go about it.

"Nope," he nodded at the girl in agreement with her unuttered words. "We can do something else first. I wouldn't mind planning something about us dealing with this Jess woman in advance," the Doctor shrugged at her.

Rose burst out laughing. _You? Planning things?_

The Time Lord squeezed her hand with a smirk, yet the look in his hazel eyes was serious. "You are too important for me to take chances of losing you, Rose. Not now, not ever."

Sooner or later, she was bound to understand the real importance of the step they have taken. Even when human, she could sense it. Back then, that was only that. An inkling. A shadow of a sensation of something huger than a one-hearted earthling could ever hope to comprehend. No matter how much he admired humans and the incredible ways their minds could work, the Rose Tyler he has fallen for was but a human, however impossible and unbelievable. _This_ version of Rose Tyler was… different. Very much the same… And yet, very different. _Good_ different. Stronger, quicker, even braver than before…

At the same time, even now, with her newly found Time Lady nature and abilities, Rose was still afraid of what this offered her. Her broadened mind and understanding was still barely a tiny part of what it could, should and would become. Without his help, it might take her a week to grasp and make use of some of the most important changes within her.

Most important meant the ability to protect herself and her shiny fresh mind from intruders – a must for a newly-born Time Lady… Particularly when there was a very real risk of getting kidnapped and getting your freshly created, newly-formed essence changed once again. Possibly without an ability to repair what would be left of her afterwards – _if_ at least a trace of Rose as he knew and loved her would be left in her _after_.

 _With_ the Doctor's help, the learning period would be shortened to four days. This meant four days of pretending… The Time Lord could remember how much strength and hard work, even if it was not openly visible for the Seaweed woman, this was taking from Rose.

"Doctor," Rose's tender voice reached for him like a caress. While said out loud, it felt more like the softest of touches.

He backed away, surprised and a little bit startled. _How do you do that?_

_Am I not allowed to?_

The hurt and surprise in her words were unexpected.

"On the contrary, Rose!" But she was not supposed to know how to do that, especially with the TARDIS not supposed to be wasting her precious energy on not-essential functions, even though the Doctor knew the clever old vessel has been capable of sending all this information to his sweetheart. 

"You don't have to worry," the Time Lady assured him. "I have had this strange thing inside me, yeah? Ever since the Bad Wolf, perhaps some time before." The realisation of her having been somewhat different than an ordinary human woman was something she put the blame of on her unusual time-traveller occupation.

The Gallifreyan paled at this revelation. _Rose… Why had you been so startled, then?_

"Because I did not want it inside me. Was not expecting for the old girl to do it anyway," she spoke dryly.

"And now, Rose?" The Doctor was terrified of hearing the answer.

Instead of answering verbally, the young woman sent him the feeling of utter trust and devotion. But only when she got up on her tiptoes to put her feelings in a kiss were his expectations confirmed.

He backed away from his unbelievable lover unwillingly, cursing mentally in a variety of languages about the necessity to have done that. "We have _four_ days until Seaweed must be gone, Rose. Which means she is going to spend this time in doing everything in her power to-"

The Time Lady rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly. "Do you really think I would be risking our love for- for-"

 _Our love_ on Rose's welcoming plump lips has made the Doctor want to snog her breathless.

"You are welcome to it, husband. Whenever you want to," she breathed at him, smiling.

"We must spend the next four days in dealing with Jackie's guest properly first, love," he reminded her, suddenly tense.

 _Do you still take me for a human, Doctor?_   Rose sighed, exasperated. Yes, her physiological nature might be different, but that did nor mean her wild Tyler side was gone.

He blinked. _No, not any more, but-_

_Exactly. I am a Time Lady. Treat me like one._

"You are still inexperienced with the ways of making sure no-one would harm you, love," he tried addressing the subject softly.

"Even back in my early teenage years, I knew how to keep myself out of harm's way," she assured him. "Surely, I can protect myself from some uncommonly educated humans," Rose kissed him in the way he had been wanting to.

 _Bond-mates, remember_ , she smirked at him, enjoying the surprise on his face. Rose loved the unbelievable connection between them, even if this has barely been the beginning of her getting to learn some of it.

The Doctor gasped, but did not move away from her, his eyes sparkling with love and... mischief. At least for a little while, the knowledge that forever was theirs was enough. _For two Time Lords,_ three _days should be enough_ , he relented, thoughtful. If that was how Rose wanted it...

* * *

Donna has found Martha in her room, unable to stay away from company for long.

"How is this fair?" The dark-skinned girl spoke tiredly to the other woman the moment she noted her presence.

"Life's hardly ever fair," Donna agreed. "But ruining the happiness of others just so you got some for you isn't right. You must know that!"

"I do," Martha grumbled. "Still want to kill both of them for being so unjustifiably happy."

The ginger nodded at her understandingly. "Oh. I have been wanting to kill the Spaceman sometimes, too. But making Rose suffer... What has the girl even done to you?" She has not addressed the fact Rose was the love of his life, taking a different path instead.

"Look, Martha. You still have not heard the story of my appearing on his ship on my wedding day properly. Want to hear it?"


	19. What Matters Most of All

**Previously…**

"… _Look, Martha. You still have not heard the story of my appearing on his ship on my wedding day properly. Want to hear it?"_

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

**What Matters Most of All**

Martha shrugged at Donna. "Whatever."

The ginger shrugged back at her and at her obvious indifference. "I'm sure I can find better things to do, now that I think of it. Your inexplicable jealousy is your problem, Martha. You know where my room is. Only if you find me asleep, don't try to wake me up, or I could kill you."

The dark-skinned companion grinned at her, not wishing to make another person hostile towards her. "It's almost the same with me. Every time."

"I can see that," the other companion muttered to herself.

If Martha has heard it, she's kept her mouth shut.

There was no time for the girls to do anything else before everything grew eerily quiet. In less than a second later, every part of the TARDIS switched off, leaving them both in utter darkness.

"What was _that_?" Donna asked Martha, suddenly forgetting everything else, including the tension between them.

"What _is_ that, you mean," the dark girl corrected. "Something aboard the ship has short-circuited, I'd bet."

" _Something_. Here we are, stuck in the dark, no devices working, no money, no-one to turn to for help… Bloody Spaceman! How could he just leave us like that?!"

Martha Jones, with her medical education kicking in at once, was nowhere as terrified. Donna did not sound panicked. Just angry. "Calm down," the dark-skinned woman said instead. "I can always call the Doctor."

Donna rolled her eyes. Of course it was going to be Martha who would have her phone with her. She did not stop her from dialling his number, too frustrated to even spare a thought about how out of place this call was going to be.

"What is it now?" The Doctor spoke dryly, having unwillingly untied himself from Rose's embrace, as she has nudged him to answer the call. _This better be important._

"The TARDIS has shut herself down, it seems," Martha has gone straight to the point.

"Oh?" The Doctor was not ready to believe his companion just yet… Then, the unfamiliar quietude in his mind struck him fully, as did the girl's words. The Time Lord's eyes travelled to Rose's, who could only nod at him sadly. With so many things happening, she had pushed the soothing hum of the TARDIS, one always more or less present within her mind ever since her moments of omnipotence in the Game Station aside.

The hum was gone now. Gone completely. Rose could only imagine how deeply the lack of the ever-present connection with his ship must have affected the Doctor. But his expression was unreadable.

Donna was glad her eyes have got used to the blackness at least enough to make out the surroundings. But there was something else that needed to be done first. The ginger was glad Martha did not object to her borrowing the device. No, it was torn out of her hands brutally instead.

"What do you think you're doing? Leaving us like this? With no light, no sound, no idea where we are nor when you two would be back?! In a week, in a month or in a thousand years?! Trust me, Spaceman. This is a new low, even for you," she hissed, trying her best not to accidentally hit poor Martha while gesturing around fiercely.

"Are you done?" The Doctor spoke with an unnatural calmness in his voice. He smiled at his bond-mate encouragingly. Nothing was lost. There was always a way to send some necessary energy to his beloved vessel… "Everything can be easily fixed. Calm down."

Before Donna could get into another streak of fury, Martha grabbed the phone from her. "Are you sure? Whatever it is you expect from us to do, you should try harder. _You_ have left us stuck here." Martha's anger was nowhere as pronounced, but felt all the same.

"You must remember I don't see the ship in front of me." The alien did not say he knew the exact coordinates of where the ship was. Missing it was out of the question. The only question was how much power did the old girl need to resume functioning normally… Quite a lot, he guessed. But the Time Lord was not worried about that – he has had to contact his vessel, presumed lost, from greater distances than that. "You might want to move away from the old girl, just in case…"

Martha shook her head, frustrated. If he thought everything was so simple…

The Doctor's voice was just as even, although Rose's hand on his shoulder was what helped him keep the impression. "If, by any chance, it doesn't work –"

_Must you really terrify them further?_

_They are… have been my companions! Surely, they would not become scared of the dark all of a sudden?_

His worry was only increasing by the second, the moment the severity of the situation got up to him anew. Even back when the vessel was away, _very_ far away from his reach, _something_ had still been there, tickling in his subconscious.

Rose grabbed the mobile from him before he began showing his unease. "Listen to him. Leave the ship and stay away until the lights are back on." _Until she begins singing again._

Martha Jones grimaced, but did not say anything out loud. _She_ was still there with him. All she needed was one word, one reason to refuel her dislike of the blonde. But Rose, as if sensing the girl's emotions, remained silent.

"Fine," the dark companion exhaled instead. "Tell him to hurry. Even the temperature is swiftly falling inside-"

"How do we know the lights are on?" Donna interrupted, frantic.

"Leave the door open," Rose spoke tiredly. All this communication was making her feel unpleasantly weary. She looked at the Doctor with sincere worry. The ship was his everything. She eyed the telephone with distaste and ended the call.

* * *

The Gallifreyan did not even notice, desperate to feel _anything_ coming from his TARDIS.

 _I can always help you with this,_ Rose suggested, finding his hand. _The TARDIS needs as much help as she can get!_

The Doctor stared at her, suddenly terrified. His hand only grasped hers more firmly. _Your Time Lady nature is still too weak, too raw to even risk attempting something as devastating as this! You can't! It might hurt you!_

_My mother's friend might still try to hurt me. Does this stop me?_

"Nothing ever stops you, Rose Tyler," he muttered with admiration.

 _So? What are we waiting for?_ What was the Doctor going to say to that? That she could not? That he forbade her to? He couldn't. _If we proceed with reviving the old girl… assuming we do succeed, that is-_

"Is there a chance we might not?" Rose's tiny voice shook the alien to the core. If even the one she was ready to die for doubted it, even if for one second… She gulped.

"She is far away, her main, perhaps the majority of functions are off…" The Doctor's attempt to prepare his darling for the worst was stopped by her peering into his eyes with determination. _If you can fix her all on your own, feel free,_ Rose relented, knowing it was probably the only way her bond-mate has ever considered. At the same time, something was telling her this time it was different. Everything was different. Everything about her, everything about the world was different for her. And it kept changing.

 _I don't think I can,_ the Doctor admitted, recognising the ever-present changes in his Time Lady bond-mate. _But neither can you. Your entire nature is changing as we speak, Rose!_

Rose's persistence has left him no choice but to put her upcoming words into consideration. _What do you suggest, my Doctor? Allowing Martha and Donna wait outside for a_ miracle _for heavens know how long? Or for until_ Jessica _gets up and begins putting her vicious plans in motion? Or for-_

The Doctor has immediately abandoned his primary idea of suggesting Rose to get some much-needed sleep first. Sufficient rest was the first most important thing to a Time Lord after regeneration, but this did not go for a newly-born Time Lady, it seemed.

He rolled his eyes at the girl instead, secretly proud of her. _You are completely impossible, Rose._

 _Yes. Are we doing this?_ Rose has said nothing of it to her Time Lord out loud, but the connection, particularly one strengthened by as little as their hands touching, did the thing for her. Rose's changing nature was both improving and decaying at the same time. She was missing _her_. The TARDIS. The part of her that was forever linked to his ship was no longer functioning, and it hurt.

 _This is for you, my Rose_ , he breathed at her telepathically. The girl did not feel like objecting. There was no point… and no time. Wordlessly, they joined their efforts in reaching for the TARDIS' heart the best they could. It was both very hard and unexpectedly easy. Awakening the ship's senses, reviving her bond with them both… it was tedious. Even for the Doctor. Rose could barely keep herself on her feet the moment it was finally over. They were both exhausted, in pain and barely able to register the familiar pleasant hum in their minds. _Our bond was what has made it so easy, my darling,_ the Doctor smiled lovingly at his bond-mate.

 _Are you sure_ easy _is the world, lover?_ All Rose could think of the moment the sensation of contentment after having finished was to somehow stop the pounding in her head.

The Time Lord peered at her with worry. She was in pain, as was he. But Rose was in the middle of finally and irrevocably becoming a member of his species… She was a Time Lady, but not yet, her strength and pain tolerance still barely touching what her capabilities – hopefully ones never to be put under the test – were to become. Without thinking further, he has made her lie down onto the bed.

"How are you feeling, my love?" The Doctor addressed her timidly.

 _Is this what usually happens to you after a job of such proportions?_ Rose countered his question with another, not missing the possibility to take their conversation straight to where everything, even the physical pain, seemed a little less prominent.

 _Are you sure about this, Rose?_ Employing telepathy was always easier and even felt lighter for him, as it was natural for born-Time Lords… But for Rose? The girl has been a human for so long that letting go of plain Earthly communication so easily seemed like an impossibility.

As if agreeing with his assumption, she addressed him with hope in her eyes. "Could you lie down with me?" _Just for until the worst passes?_

 _Bond-mates,_ he reminded her, joining her with a small smile playing on his face. Rose chose to communicate with him telepathically. This was like a balm on his wounds.

 _I can make you feel better, love,_ the Time Lord whispered. _Do you want me to?_

_Yes._

The word bore so many different emotions in it he has nearly jumped up in surprise. Love, pain, loss, relief, fear, contentment…

Her fear was what has hit him the strongest. He hurried to convince her. _This Jessica woman poses absolutely no danger to you or to me, trust me, my love. My Rose._

"Mm…" She muttered in agreement. "I am so tired. Kiss me goodnight?" Rose asked of him almost timidly, meaning it wholeheartedly.

 _Always,_ he nodded, feeling his own physical pain evaporate almost immediately when his lips touched hers. He couldn't wait for the time when a kiss would have the same effect on this young and beautiful Time Lady by his side. Just a while longer...

All of a sudden, his idea of allowing Rose to rest or to sleep her pain away seemed nowhere as reasonable. As unreasonable as their idea to broadcast their Time Lord connection to the TARDIS so broadly... and just a floor away from their enemy.

* * *


	20. What Friends Do Best

 

 

 

**Previously…**

_All of a sudden, his idea of allowing Rose to rest or to sleep her pain away seemed nowhere as reasonable. As unreasonable as their idea to broadcast their Time Lord connection to the TARDIS so broadly... and just a floor away from their enemy._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

**What Friends Do Best  
**

"Rose?" The Doctor spoke softly, traces of worry colouring his features. He realised such thoughtlessness might mean some chances of keeping his fair bride safe were lost forever.

While not able to grasp the exact reason of her Time Lord husband's unease – not just yet – Rose was on alert at once. "You know I cannot exactly think of sleeping while fully dressed," she smiled at him, meaning something entirely different. She knew something was wrong.

_We shouldn't,_ he agreed. _Jessica might just be waiting for us to actually fall asleep and try her_ ways _._

"Is this because-" Rose cleared her throat, rejoicing in the Doctor's closeness and the supposed safety it offered. "-because of what we did?"

He nodded. No matter how short their visit to the Tyler mansion might – should – and _will_ end up being, these few days were going to be a nightmare.

The Doctor's voice was barely heard. "I might have thought your mum and her friend were still asleep – but there's still a chance they weren't. Jessica wasn't."

_Which means?_ Rose looked at him with both dread and hope.

_We must make sure you are fully Time Lady by the time Jessica attempts to lure you to join her in Australia._

The girl's face darkened. She knew that already. _How much longer until the transformation is complete?_ While the old girl has labelled her Time Lady back on board the ship, it certainly was not a big enough change for them both to feel safe.

"How much of me has already-"

"I don't know. Not for sure." Not knowing was only increasing the Time Lord's unease to new levels. He _had_ to keep his bond-mate safe, no matter the cost. But the only way to get a clear answer was to contact the time and space vessel. That much was not advised. As much as the newly-weds liked to think the old girl has been unimaginably quick to repair her systems fully – with some essential help from them both… It was a matter of time.

The Doctor went for a wild guess in answering the young Time Lady's question instead. "Eighty percent? Eighty-five?"

Rose sighed. "Can't we get hold of the old girl's information banks, or something?" She was sure she could.

"The TARDIS is still fixing herself. We shouldn't disturb her, love. Not just yet."

"But-" The fair-haired girl thought better of it and kept her mouth shut. Who was to say her attempt to contact the old girl using the bond they have apparently shared would not harm her further? Besides…

_Your distorted thoughts are only causing_ you _harm, Rose_ , the Doctor tried to soothe the torrent in her mind the best he could. _All you need is to rest now. The consequence of the_ brilliant _thing we have done must have played some part in causing you the fatigue I see in your eyes_ , he smiled at her softly.

Rose glared at him. _There is a chance I am about to lose you. Lose my family. Lose myself. How can you even think of-_

There was no time to expand on this painfully relevant topic further – someone was quickly heading upstairs. Someone wearing high-heeled shoes. _It's either Mum, or-_

_Come to me,_ the Doctor did not waste a moment, pulling Rose close to himself and lying down next to her, putting a blanket atop them No matter how poor the i _mpromptu_ scene must have looked, it was worth a try.

The _visitor_ did not bother knocking. Rose exhaled in relief, having met her mother's eyes. The emotions in them were changing every moment.

"I have made Jess drink twice as much as I have," Jackie Tyler assured them, clearly not buying the 'just made love' impression. "There's no time for this," the mother chastised them, no jest in her words. Only panic. "Next time, at least take your clothes off," she shrugged, not entirely surprised about their reluctance to get off the bed.

"Thank you, Jackie." The Doctor spoke seriously, realising the dangers they were facing all too well. "For everything you are doing for us," he clarified.

Rose was there to ask the important question. " _Why_ are you here, Mum?"

"What the heck has just happened in here?" The older woman peered at them both curiously. "And don't try convincing me it has nothing to do with the two of you! The strange light was coming out of this window! It was so strong it has illuminated our entire house! Surely, you do realise these games are unimaginably dangerous, Doctor?"

"This _game_ , as you put it, Jackie, is our way home."

"The only way," Rose added, nowhere as unmoved as the Time Lord has managed to sound.

Jackie knew trying to get any deeper into their cryptic answers would get her nowhere. "Well. If it makes you happy, I have told Jessica you have been performing… intimate activities when she noticed the light. Not to worry, she believed in me. There is no doubt about that."

"Good. That's good," the Doctor looked at his mother-in-law with sincere appreciation.

"Thanks, Mum!" Rose smiled, a blush colouring her cheeks.

Jackie knew better than to stay with them for too long. "Must leave you now. Don't forget to take your clothes off this time, eh?"

Rose's mum was gone before they could say a two-syllabled word. Or a sentence.

Instead of getting off the bed, Rose exhaled heavily, returning to the one subject that was eating her from the inside. "Why hadn't you said it was going to take time?"

_Oh, Rose._ "Just like growing up, the full transformation does not happen overnight. No matter how hard I wish it would sometimes," the Doctor admitted.

"Regeneration, though-"

Although touching was not necessary for them to communicate telepathically, the Doctor grabbed her hands. _It is different. Rewriting your entire essence-_

_How is it different from regeneration, my Doctor?_

_My Rose. No matter the physical changes in me… I remain a Time Lord. Always._

The girl exhaled heavily. The enticing truth has hit her anew. _And I won't be a human. Not any more. The question still stands – why haven't you told me?_

The Doctor scratched his head in thought. He can't have thought of the unimaginable possibility of the transformation being known to someone else.

"It has never come to my attention… that someone might have known just who you were changing into." _The change within you was supposed to happen slowly and peacefully, with not a soul knowing of it! Just then, an unexpected obstacle arose._

_Jessica._

_Yes,_ he nodded.

Rose's eyes looked glassy.

_What is it, darling?_

_I can't think straight._ She was terrified, every second that passed only increasing the dread inside her. _Are you sure we couldn't quicken the process somehow?_

There had to be a way! Some miraculous, crazy, unbelievable way to make her a member of his species?

The Doctor could not lie to his bond-mate. _It's just for a few days, Rose. Surely, you_ can _wait?_

_Could we, or could we not?_

_We would need to check out the readings the old girl provides us with first._

_Naturally, just when she is still too weak to help us_. Rose covered her mouth with her hand, suppressing a sob. The risk of her life being torn away from the Doctor's has still remained.

While the Time Lord knew such a reaction was both justifiable and natural in such an incredible situation, he wrapped his arms around his wife anyway.

"Shh, Rose. The TARDIS craves for finally re-establishing a connection with you, her Bad Wolf, just as much as you wish to do with her." _If you try to reach for her, she might consider your request-_

The girl's eyes widened. _Wouldn't I hurt her by doing this? Hadn't you just told me- Besides, Jessica-_

_Hush now, my darling,_ he pleaded, having sensed a small change within her. One that could only have been a sign of the transformation happening within the girl much more quickly now. The TARDIS has apparently doubled her revitalised efforts… Rose has suddenly felt the desperate need to get up. The Doctor shook his head and stopped her.

"You'd rather not," he spoke gravely. "Those on the brink of a life-changing transformation can think themselves omnipotent and disillusioned. God knows what these tricky minutes before the process is complete might do to you!"

For a moment, it has almost sounded as if the Doctor was filled with dread about their fate himself. _My jeopardy friendly bond-mate. My Rose. Forever._

_Forever yours, Doctor. No-one will ever separate us. Neither Seaweed nor any other… entity._

The Time Lord was watching her cautiously. It seemed as if Rose was undergoing the _omnipotence_ phase, all right… But she did not try to fight his efforts to stop her from doing something unreasonable.

Then, all of a sudden, it was over. _Feel me, Doctor_ , Rose's hands were touching the Time Lord's face, incredulity colouring her features.

Her hands were… normal. A Time Lord kind of normal. Decidedly cooler… but this has meant _nothing_.

The Doctor was afraid to believe this. Just then, a telepathic _slap_ resounded in his mind.

_Rose? What have I done wrong?_ He sounded hurt.

The Time Lady shrugged at him, giggling softly. _Nothing! This one's not my fault._

Or so Rose hoped, half-expecting to be slapped by the telepathic vessel herself. Who knew how much harm she might have caused to the TARDIS simply by having followed the Time Lord's suggestion blindly? _I am sorry, dear,_ she sent the old girl instead. As nothing resembling a slap followed, Rose sent the old her all the love she could, not thinking about the guest downstairs once.

The Doctor stared at his bond-mate with disbelief, forgetting to breathe. The signs she was transmitting, albeit possibly without knowing, were unmistakable.

_The signs…_

He needed to be completely sure. _Can I kiss you, Rose?_

_Permission granted, husband,_ she smiled at him with relief. _Thought you'd never ask._

The moment the Doctor's lips met hers, every riddle in his mind seemed to have solved itself.

_My love._ He gasped. The completion was supposed to have taken three to four days!

_Are you unhappy, Doctor?_ Rose question, a mixture of sadness and disbelief, washed through his mind.

The Gallifreyan was puzzled, but that was the sole unpleasant feeling within him he could identify at that moment.

_You are safe, my Rose! Safe! No-one can harm you now. No-one._

Rose giggled. "Surely, there is a way to keep my little secret to myself? From a certain visitor?"

_Are you sure you still need to be taught how to?_

The Time Lady grinned at him lovingly instead.

* * *

_Hours before, on another continent…_

* * *

Martha and Donna were standing outside the ship, unable to fight away the frightful anticipation. Both women were secretly doubting it would work. From such a distance, it seemed utterly impossible.

But that was not going on for long. Slowly, one by one, all parts of the TARDIS began functioning normally – as much as the women could see. But only after the TARDIS has begun glowing with the familiar light and the barely audible hum reached their ears have the companions dared to re-enter.

"He did it!" Martha's excitement did not receive the expected reaction of approval from the vessel.

"I think she means _'they_ did it,'" Donna hurried to intervene, for both Martha's and her sake.

"No, I said _he_ did it," Martha could not see the ship's annoyance building up.

"Do you want to get us kicked out again? The Doctor has said 'no quarrelling,' remember?"

"Fine, fine. With his precious blondie doll not here, I'm sure we can live without any of this," Martha's eyes glinted mischievously.

Donna kept her mouth shut. If there was anyone getting herself into trouble without realising it, she, Donna Noble, was _not_ that person.

 


	21. Things Never Said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are things I refuse to miss when given the chance not to, these are the figure skating and football championships. Keep that in mind when/if I suddenly stop updating. :) <3

**Previously…**

" _Do you want to get us kicked out again? The Doctor has said 'no quarrelling,' remember?"_

" _Fine, fine. With his precious blondie doll not here, I'm sure we can live without any of this," Martha's eyes glinted mischievously._

 _Donna kept her mouth shut. If there was anyone getting herself into trouble without realising it, she, Donna Noble, was_ not _that person._

* * *

**Essentially Together**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

**Things Never Said**

"If you could just stop, it would do you a great deal of good, Martha," Donna said with the most neutral expression on her face she could manage. "Look, even the surroundings look brighter and feel warmer now that the ship is back to her glory! Fancy watching a film?"

Donna Noble was ready to do anything to get Martha's thoughts off poor Rose. "You can choose!"

Martha could see the ginger woman through, but smiled at her instead. "Are you sure? What if I want to watch some opera or a ballet instead?" She teased.

Donna pouted inwardly. Three hours of her life wasted. But for a good cause… "I don't see why not."

"Ha. I can read it in your eyes, dear. Instead of some Wagner, let's watch _Mamma Mia!_ Yeah?

The redhead sighed in relief. Not that she knew who that Wagner was other than some sort of a composer of some... whatever that was.

"Yeah. We could do with something light," Donna sighed in relief and smiled, this time sincerely.

* * *

_Back in parallel London..._

* * *

"Know what, Doctor?" Suddenly every need or wish to get out of the bed seemed like nothing but a distant possibility, their fully-dressed selves completely aware of both the possibilities and the risks in front of them.

"Hm?"

"I don't think I am supposed to be wearing this gorgeous dress to bed," Rose rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly.

The Doctor eyed her curiously. The girl was almost sure he was about to say something silly like 'why not?' Before he did, she jumped off the bed. "Do you fancy a walk, Doctor?"

He blinked. "Right now? I am not sure this is a good idea," a shrug accompanied his words.

 _Why not? They all see me as a spoilt Tyler child. I can do whatever I want,_ Rose grinned at him. "That is, if you would accompany me? Doctor?"

It was impossible to say _no_ to his bond-mate. "Whereto, love?"

"Outside, for a start?"

He grimaced. "More posing for the never-asleep paparazzi?"

Rose grinned at him, watching the Doctor getting off the bed expectantly. _Only if we leave the Tyler mansion._

"What do you mean, _if_? Love?"

"This place is _huge_. The time is late," Rose gave him her tongue-touched grin. "Let's race to the gate?"

 _Rose-_ He warned her. Not _everybody_ was asleep.

"Thought I'd find you two somewhere here," Jessica Seawell cooed at them. "A lovely night, wouldn't you say, Rose? John?"

"This is exactly why we're here," the Doctor spoke nonchalantly, his hand holding Rose's firmly. "A _wonderful_ night."

"Rose?" Jessica looked at the girl, waiting for her response with the eagerness and determination that were supposed to feel threatening… except they didn't.

"Yes. We have been intending to make this night the night of our lives."

For Rose, it has surely been exactly that. "But, unless you fancy witnessing our-" the Doctor directed his hungry look at the Time Lady. The companion licked her lips.

Jessica grew uncomfortable. There was no chance for her to try befriending the one necessary for her plan to work when Rose's mind was filled with nothing but spending the night with her husband. Of course, nobody said it was going to be easy. "Right. I'm leaving you both to it, yes?" Her grin was seemingly unnoticed.

However, as soon as the woman left, a mutual sigh of relief could be heard.

 _There it is - self-declared professionals giving us so many unnecessary obstacles…_ The Doctor exhaled. The fact Rose was a changed person now did not mean she was safe from all the dangers always waiting for them wherever they went… But wasn't this the reason they were together? To fight the dangers? To make the world just a tiny bit better? The Time Lord shrugged at his bond-mate, welcoming the thoughts that have once belonged only to her.

"Race to the gate, you said?"

Rose grinned at him, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "What do I get if I win?"

"What do you want?" The Doctor knew it was unlikely for him to ever lose – unless she tricked him into it.

_You. Nothing else._

"You can have me whenever, you know it. And _everything_ else I can give you."

"You're no fun, Doctor," Rose rolled her eyes at him playfully. "But I'll remember this promise," she warned. "What is it _you_ want?"

"I want… I want to make you moan, breathe, scream out my name in every language that has ever existed. Want to show you the most secret ways – want _you_ to _discover_ the most secret ways to- to make me _come_ , to- _to make myself yours. Forever._

Rose's mouth went dry at his confession. "Are you sure… still sure about the _race_ thingy? I could-" Her tongue travelled down his neck, treacherously slowly. He gasped. "-could do this to you instead," she breathed, sensing his approval.

_Please._

They did end up racing to the gate and back anyway, but the result did not matter, as neither of them could say who has finished first. Rose's Gallifreyan wedding gown, the Doctor's cherished clothes – no longer including the pinstriped suit jacket, for obvious reasons – they looked nothing like they used to. Covered in grime, sand, dirt, even with traces of grass on them – that was how their first night at Jackie's happened to be. Nobody was supposed to know that nothing happened between them that night. Games, sometimes childish, sometimes almost violent, with quite a lot pushing and pulling the other onto and off the ground… and making out. Touching. Caressing. And making out.

Because Rose Tyler was a person of her word. They were not going to break down and lose themselves to something like wild lust when her mother was under the same roof.

 _You know this is for the better, my Doctor._ It was better to return back into the house looking like a couple of bruised dirty children after a fruitful day playing than like the two people who actually had a plan to painlessly stop what could have ruined their lives forever.

Keeping _Seaweed_ 's attention on anything but her plans was of primary importance. Even when she was theoretically no longer able to harm Rose, not in the way she planned… The Doctor took Rose in his arms and carried her into her room. "Isn't this what a husband should do?"

"Today, yes," she nuzzled into him. "But we need to wash ourselves… change our clothes first, yes?"

The Time Lord eyed her gown sadly, letting her body down. "I think so," he agreed. "But no sooner than they see us, remember?"

She nodded. _Come, Doctor. Come to me._ Assuming the alien's reaction to her initially unexpected but very much appreciated action with her tongue was what he wanted, what he needed right now…

 _Yes. Oh, yes…_ The memories came flooding back. However, the Doctor stopped her from actually starting her ministrations the following instant.

"Rose. My love, my wife, my bond-mate, my life…" He already hated himself for his upcoming words. Even though it might have hurt less when softened by their telepathic connection, the alien decided to pour it all out at once.

"I know merely the memory of playing someone else must still be fresh in your mind, I know you hated it wholeheartedly… But we might need to continue pretending, just a few days more, I am sorry, so sorry…"

Rose considered giving him a slap for a moment, then shook her head. "You mean, until Jessica leaves? Or until I have to say farewell to Mum? Which is basically-"

 _The same day. Yes. I am sorry. We are already toying with things dangerous beyond our imagination._ _It might be the TARDIS won't be able to protect us from afar._ He was aware much too little time has passed from Rose connecting herself to the ship to allow themselves to stop worrying completely.

* * *

The slap came, eventually. Much later in the day. From a Tyler other than his Time Lady bride. Jackie did not approve of this plan at all.

With Rose having agreed to play the role of a naïve, amorous newly-married girl seeing nothing in life but her _John_ , Jackie Tyler has finally got a way to be alone with the Time Lord.

"You are putting our lives at risk because you simply _want Rose to be happy?"_

The Doctor said nothing to Jackie's fury, seemingly well-deserved.

"You are making her meet the woman who might take her away from me? Away from _you_ , you idiot?!" The mother slapped him hard.

He muttered an apology, choosing not to point out to her this _Jessica_ was _her_ friend.

"What would have happened if you did not manage to keep her safe? If Jess would have succeeded? Do you understand?!"

"Do you _really_ want to know, Jackie?" He asked darkly. "About the ways Rose's mind would have been experimented on?"

The mother shook her head. "I suppose I'd rather not. But she is safe now? Truly, properly safe?"

The Doctor was shocked anew at her honesty. "I don't know," he was foolish enough to admit. "Right now, she is. But later… Nobody knows."

Jackie's second slap was more violent than ever. "I'll show you 'I don't know'! _I_ know. If something happens to my daughter, you will be the one to blame! After all, it's you who is causing all the trouble in her life!"

The Time Lord was more reasonable now and allowed Jackie to vent. Soon, her anger has evaporated.

"Are you _sure_ this visit of my baby is the very last? Am I not allowed to see her again?" Jackie gave him the question she knew the answer to.

"Yes. It _has_ to be. I am sorry. But you have your baby boy now, or am I mistaken?" It has only entered his mind then that no trace of Tony, no trace of any children living there was present anywhere.

"He is away. Far away. In Italy. Funny how our little boy was advised to travel somewhere with a lot of sunlight, especially now that-"

"You might want to get him back now, yeah?" The Doctor encouraged. "We will be gone soon, either tomorrow or the day after…" I am sure your son will be very happy! Just… don't you dare leave him for- How long has Tony been away? A month? Two months?"

"Close to six," Jackie admitted, suddenly feeling like a very bad mother. "I- I have never intended for it to be like this, but with Pete constantly away from home- I did not think allowing my baby grow up without a father – for it felt like that sometimes – is a good decision. Do you understand, Doctor?"

The Time Lord peered at the woman. For one reason or other, it felt as if the boy had been pushed away from her mind. "Do you love your son, Jackie?"

Jackie gasped, insulted. "More than anything!"

"Having been forced to bring up your Rose without a dad has never been a problem grave enough to try and send _her_ away, yes?"

The mother was fighting back tears now. "I thought it was going to be too hard for me to live throughout all the trouble again!"

"Take him back. More news for the press, more fame, more rumours, more-"

"That was what I have been trying to tell her, Doctor," a soft voice filled the room.

"We will be gone, Mum… and you will have my brother all to yourself! Even Pete might return, yes? Remember his excitement… and his frustration after you have chosen to-"

"Everyone's entitled to make mistakes and learn from them, love. Even your Mum," the Doctor smiled at his bond-mate softly.

"Think about this. Tony loves you. You love him. Your husband loves you both," he reminded Jackie, leaving the room and closing the door after them. The sudden changes in Jackie Tyler's behaviour were… startling.

"How did your conversation with Jessica go?"

_She's a proper nutter, Doctor! The sooner we leave-_


End file.
